


Taking Me Over

by VioletandClementine



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Bartender Vi, Bottom Clementine (Walking Dead), Dirty Talk, Dominant Clementine, Dominant Violet, Edgeplay, F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Sex, Praise Kink, Romance, Rough Sex, Smut, Strap-Ons, Submissive Clementine, Submissive Violet, top vi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:54:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29492388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletandClementine/pseuds/VioletandClementine
Summary: An AU of Telltale Games The Walking Dead. Violet is a bar manager at a high end restaurant. Clementine is a journalist in town for work. Aged up characters. Unabashed romance and smut.
Relationships: Clementine & Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 32





	1. Taking Me Over

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first attempt at smut, so I'd appreciate any feedback you may have!

The micro fiber cloth slipped against the delicate crystal, rubbing away any lingering moisture clinging to the glass from its cycle in the dishwasher. Violet finished the polish with the stem of the wineglass, careful to wipe away any potential smudges from the base. She set the sparkling burgundy glass on the backbar and reached for another. 

The lunch shift had been quiet, giving Violet ample time to complete her side-work. She took pride in how meticulously she set up her bar; all of her lemon wheels were the same width, the mint sprigs robust and without blemish, the superfine sugar sieved and heaped high in its silver bowl. When she finished setting up her bar, the PM shift would be ready for anything.

Even if it wasn’t in her nature to perfect her work, she was the bar manager, and she sought to lead by example. All of her mise-en-place was in its place and ready for a busy Thursday night. 

She loved this time of the day. Lunch service had ended an hour ago, but the bar was open throughout the day with a limited menu. This was when the shift could become lucrative – the lunch support staff had left for the day. If she got busy, Violet would get very busy. 

Today was not that day, however. She had served only a handful of guests. The couple sitting at her bar currently were absorbed in their conversation, nursing a single glass of wine each. 

Violet was the bar manager for a high-end restaurant in a very affluent part of town. We’re talking old money here, generations of investment brokers, lawyers, politicians and software giants. And they loved to spend their money at the restaurant, essentially treating it like their dining room. When she first got the job, she had been stunned by how many regulars she had. It put the disparities of class to the forefront of her thoughts. 

Violet herself had come from a much more humble upbringing. A trailer, an alcoholic father, and a mother who supported the family with three jobs. She had applied herself in school and escaped to university on scholarship. Her freshman year, she had picked up restaurant work on the side, and quickly took to the industry. It was fast-paced and fun, and she walked home with cash in her pocket every night. As she learned more about hospitality, food and beverage, she started applying some of her free time to studying wine and spirits. 

Four years and one bachelor of fine arts degree later, she found herself reluctant to break away from the profession. It was odd – she always thought of herself as shy and introverted. Turns out, if she was behind a bar, she could talk to anyone. The skills she had picked up around her father as a child came in handy. She was observant and an astute listener, and was exceptionally efficient at reading people and providing them with everything they needed before they themselves knew they needed it.

There were only a couple of last-minute tasks left for her to do before the change in shift. Louis wasn’t starting his shift for another half hour, so she busied herself running through her checklist one last time. 

She was facing the POS system when she heard a bar stool scraping the floor, alerting her to a new guest. Violet grabbed a menu and cocktail list as she turned, a smile already stretching her lips. 

And then she almost froze. Settling into a seat was one of the most striking girls Violet had ever seen. Curly brown hair pulled off into a side bun, dark features, full lips. Her radiant smile warmed her amber eyes, and Violet had to stop herself from gawking. She shook herself internally and placed the menus down in front of her, smiling in return.

“Welcome,” she said. “Can I bring you a glass of water while you settle in?” If possible, the girl’s smile seemed to get brighter.

“That’d be great, thanks,” the girl said, voice like honey. 

As Violet was pouring a glass of water from the stainless-steel pitcher, she surreptitiously glanced at her new guest. The girl looked to be about her age, which was unusual for the clientele of the restaurant. She wore a dark blue leather jacket over a crisp off-white Henley. Her eyebrows were furrowed in absorption as she scanned the cocktail list. 

Violet eyed herself in the mirrored back bar. The bartender uniform was a three-piece black suit and tie, but during lunch they could work without the jacket. Her white shirt was crisp, black vest fitted, and her tie popped with color – red paisley, a nostalgic nod to her deceased grandfather, who had been fond of the loud pattern.

She took a deep breath and turned back to the girl, placing the glass of water down on a cocktail napkin. She noticed the girl’s hands and was taken aback to find that she was missing her ring finger on her left hand. Several scars crisscrossed the otherwise smooth skin. Violet pulled her eyes away, feeling as if she had intruded on the girl’s privacy. 

“Would you like more time to consider the menu?” she asked, gathering herself. The girl made eye contact and gave her a brief smile. Violet lost herself briefly in her eyes; deep brown swirled with flecks of hazel. Having come to a conclusion, the girl shut the menu with a snap.

“How about you make me your favorite drink?” she suggested. 

“So, whiskey neat, then?” Violet fired back and grinned. The girl chuckled. 

“I guess I asked for that,” the girl said, amused. “How about you make me your favorite cocktail?” 

Violet picked up the micro fiber cloth and started polishing a glass. 

“I can do that,” Violet replied. “Do you have a spirit preference?” 

“Gin,” the girl answered, not wasting any time. Violet hummed appreciatively. 

“Do you feel like something refreshing or spirit forward?” 

“Refreshing sounds perfect.” 

Violet nodded and perched the freshly polished glass with its companions. She folded the cloth and then stepped into her well, already knowing what she’d make for her new patron. 

She could feel the girl’s eyes on her as she pulled a chilled coupe glass from the lowboy and set to measuring out the ingredients. Equal parts lemon juice, lillet blanc, triple sec and beefeater gin mingled in the Yarai pint glass. She unscrewed a dropper and squeezed two full pipets of absinthe into the pint as a final flourish. Scooping ice to fill the pint glass, she secured a tin to the top and then shook the cocktail vigorously. 

There was an aspect of showmanship that was cultivated in cocktail culture that crossed a line for her. Often, she found herself rolling her eyes at the antics of ‘mixologists’ clad in denim aprons and sporting holier-than-thou attitudes. It took a significant amount of humility to be truly successful in the hospitality industry in Violet’s mind. 

But she would be lying if she said she didn’t put a lot of energy into the making of drinks appear graceful. Her shake and stir had evolved and now were consistent, smooth, and efficient.

Moments later, she snapped the tin off the glass and double strained the cocktail into the waiting coupe. She skewered two brandied cherries and perched them on the edge of the glass.

Violet dropped a cocktail napkin down and placed the cocktail down in front of the girl, who eyed the drink with a small smile.

“So, what am I drinking?” she queried. Violet began rinsing her tools. 

“It’s a Corpse Reviver #2. Ever had one?” The girl shook her head. Violet dried her hands on a paper towel and picked up her polishing rag. 

The girl brought the cocktail close to her mouth, inhaling the aromas before taking a small sip. Violet had several inappropriate thoughts flit through her mind as she watched her full lips part to allow the cool liquid into her mouth. 

Heat rushed to Violet’s face, and she averted her eyes. _Stop being a perv_ , she chastised herself. She glanced back and saw the girl’s eyes go wide. She cocked her head.

“Hate it, huh?” Violet joked. The girl grinned at her and took another sip. 

“This is amazing. Is there absinthe in this?” Violet smiled warmly, pleased that the girl seemed to have a decent background in booze. 

“Sure is. Just a couple of droppers worth.” The girl settled back into the leather chair, relaxing. 

“Thank you. It’s just what I didn’t know I wanted,” the brunette complimented. Violet picked up another glass as she glanced to the couple at the bar; they had barely touched their wine and were still deep in conversation. She could feel the heat of the brunette’s gaze on her as she worked.

“Sometimes it’s nice,” the girl continued, dragging her words out carefully, “at the end of the day, to not make any decisions… to let someone else handle things.” The girl paused. “To give up control for a bit,” she said, cocking her head and holding Violet’s eyes. Something about the slight suggestiveness of her words and the curiosity sparkling in her eyes made Violet’s heart skip a beat. _Is she coming on to me?_

“Y-yeah…” Violet stuttered a bit, caught off guard. She quickly recovered. “I can understand that. I can imagine it might be nice for some people to just turn off.” The girl reached out and held the stem of her glass, considering.

“Not for you, though?” she asked. Violet shrugged, stalling for time to evaluate her responses. _Should I bite? See if what I think is happening, is happening?_ Violet decided to play.

“Nah, not me. I like to be in complete control,” she said, holding the girl’s eyes. The brunette quirked an eyebrow up, the corner of her lips pulled up slightly. 

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I mean, when I go out after work to wind down, I know exactly what I want to order,” Violet finished, feigning innocence. The girl smirked and took a small sip of her drink.

“Ah. You’re talking about drinks again,” she drawled. Violet’s heart fluttered in her chest. _Fuck,_ she thought. _This is happening._

Just then she saw Louis sauntering into the lounge area, already dressed in his suit. His tightly coiled dreads were tied back in anticipation of the shift, and he threw Violet a dazzling smile as he walked behind the bar. 

She smiled at the brunette as she extricated herself from their interaction smoothly, turning to meet her friend and coworker. He took a glance at the patrons at the bar before they moved away from the guests. 

“Who’s the cutie at 108?” he muttered under his breath. “Friend of yours?” he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. She blushed.

“Louis!” she yell-hissed. “This is work, not the club.” His smile grew brighter as he straightened his tie with a flourish. 

“Well, since you’re clearly not interested…” and with that, he was sidling up to the bar by the girl. Violet inwardly groaned. 

Louis was naturally gregarious. He could and would talk to anyone, anytime, about anything. His demeanor was a little too casual for the restaurant, but his charm and talent more than made up for his levity. At least, that’s what Violet would tell herself in those frequent moments he tried her patience.

Like right now. This was one of those moments. 

His laugher was infectious, and she saw the girl beaming up at him as he regaled her with an anecdote. He was gesturing wildly to illustrate the punch line, and the girl was actually laughing. With him, not at him. 

_She’s just the flirtatious type,_ Violet thought. _She wasn’t actually coming on to me. She’s probably not even gay._ Violet tried to shrug it off, but it rankled her that her usually keen observation skills fell flat. Her eyes kept finding their own way back to the brunette. 

Louis was now literally palms down on the bar, leaning in as close to the girl as he could while maintaining some pretense of professionalism. Violet rolled her eyes and changed out the bank, very ready to call it a day and head home. 

After transferring the two open tabs to the PM drawer, she counted her bank, tapped Louis on the back to indicate she was leaving the bar without interrupting his monologue, and sought the floor manager on duty.

Luckily the bar staff was Violet’s to manage, so she barely had to communicate with the guy. He was beyond lazy, and there was nothing that set Violet off more than hypocritical management.

She walked back through the kitchen; the line cooks intent on preparing their mis-en-place and setting up their stations for a busy night. She made her way to the office and knocked against the door frame. 

“Marlon?” she called, poking her head in. She saw him leaning back into an office chair, on his phone - as usual. She recalled that the owners had asked him to get a haircut as a condition of hire. The image of him sauntering into the restaurant for his interview with a hardcore blond mullet would be forever burned in her memory. 

“Yeah?” he said, not bothering to look up. She walked in and dropped the bank in front of him.

“Everything is square. I’m going to finish up and take off – it’s chill out there.” _Maybe if you left the office at all, you’d already know that,_ she thought.

“Uh-huh,” he said, intent on what she could only assume was a video game. She rolled her eyes and walked out. The last thing she needed to do was to fill up both ice wells for service, and she stopped by the Kold Draft machine and began filling up two buckets. She wondered if the brunette was still at the bar. 

Violet rarely fell for girls at work. In fact, she hadn’t fallen really hard since her first girlfriend, Minerva. That Minerva was using Violet throughout their year long relationship was something she only came to know after she had caught her in bed with their friend, Brody. Turns out Minerva had been seeing Brody on the side almost the entire time they were together. That night, she lost a girlfriend and a friend. 

It had crushed Violet and left her completely disillusioned by love. Since then, she had ‘seen’ girls but had never seriously dated. Mostly, that just amounted to her sleeping with a girl until they invariably wanted to take it to the next level. That’s when Violet would have to break it off. It was almost always messy, and she hadn’t bothered with girls at all for the past year, instead focusing on her job. She hadn’t even really felt tempted.

Until now.

Something about that girl just… captivated Violet. There was an intensity to her she was drawn to, and she lamented the fact that she had probably blown whatever chance she may have had by leaving her with her loud and charming friend. Louis probably already has her number.

She hauled the filled buckets up by their handles, easily carrying the weight back through the kitchen and out into the dining room. Even before she rounded the corner, she could hear Louis’ voice. He was definitely hitting his stride.

“Violet!” he enthused as she walked the ice behind the bar. He was cozied up close to the girl, and he oozed with self-importance. _Yup. He got her number._ “You had us worried for a moment – we thought you had left for the evening,” he drawled. Violet noticed that the girl was finished with her drink. She quickly pulled the empty glass away, while affecting insight. 

“Ah, I understand now. You were so worried that you forgot how to do your job.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl smirk at the rib. Louis affected exaggerated vexation, bringing a hand to his chest with wide eyes. She just rolled her eyes and began filling the wells with ice.

“Violet… you wound me. I was just entertaining our new friend Clementine here after you so inconsiderately left her to her own devices.” Violet made eye contact with the girl; with Clementine. She felt like she was swimming in amber pools, and suddenly she was having a hard time drawing a full breath.

“Huh,” Clementine mused, holding Violet’s gaze a moment longer. “That’s funny,” she said, turning to Louis, “I don’t really remember asking for your company.” Her delivery was deadpan, but Violet saw the twinkle in her eyes at Louis’ growing discomfort. He began stammering out apologies. Violet held out as long as she could before she snorted a laugh. Clementine joined in, the two girls chuckling at the blush that rose in Louis’ cheeks. _Yeah, I like her._

Louis rallied with aplomb, giving Clementine a slight bow and a flick of his wrist.

“Bravo, Clementine, bravo,” he said, throwing her a wink. Violet watched Clementine’s reaction, unsure if she could read the slight shift of her body as interest. Violet decided it was time to regain the floor.

“Since my relief has failed in the entirety of his job, may I take a moment to ask if you’re still thirsty, Clementine.” Violet’s choice of words left, she hoped, some room for interpretation, and for good measure she had rested her hand against the bar top, subtilty directing attention to her. She thought she saw Clementine’s eyes widen slightly, a slight curve of her lips. Clementine held her eyes until Violet’s heart was quite literally racing. When the brunette smiled, it was all coy suggestiveness. 

“You’re finishing work soon. Maybe you’d be willing to show me how you unwind…” she said, lightly, as if they hadn’t only met thirty minutes ago. “… by ordering me a drink somewhere else?” Warmth settled in Violet’s stomach at her tone, and she was certain that if she looked at Louis right now, his mouth would be hanging open. She forced herself to breathe. To say something. To say anything. _Holy shit._

“I, uh,” she faltered. “Yeah. Yes, I’d like that.” She almost slapped her hand against her forehead. _What’s wrong with you? She’s just a pretty girl. Pull yourself together._ Except, the air was charged with that energy she had felt before, and it was like little static shocks were snapping under her skin and tingling through her fingers. 

Clementine smiled brightly then, and directed her attention back to Louis, who was visibly trying to pull himself together. She pulled a wallet from the back pocket of her jeans and held a credit card out. 

“May I close out, please?” she asked. He hastily grabbed the card and turned to the POS system, but Violet cut him off. She tugged the card out of his hands and snapped it back on the bar. 

“It’s been taken care of,” she said. Clementine’s brows raised with surprise, and then she was poking through her wallet. 

“Damn,” she muttered under her breath. “I don’t have any cash on me – can you charge me a dollar or something so I can leave a tip?” Violet pretended to think about it. 

“Let’s just call it square for helping me keep Louis on his toes.” They both looked at him, smiling, while he attempted to sulk. Violet turned back to Clementine. “I just have to clock out and grab my things. Meet you outside?” Clementine nodded and stood to leave. She slipped her wallet back into her jeans, and Violet was suddenly appreciating the curves of her figure. Violet forced herself to meet her eyes and found that Clementine had seen her looking. She gave Violet a wink who ducked her head quickly, desperate to hide the rising color in her cheeks. 

“It was nice meeting you, Louis. Thanks for being such a delightful host,” she said, genuine affection in her voice. He took a deep bow.

“The pleasure was absolutely all mine, Clementine.” They both watched as the brunette headed out of the restaurant. Violet turned back to the POS, her blush fading slower than she hoped. 

“So, just put her drink on an F/F tab, yeah?” she said, gathering her wallet and keys from the one drawer behind the bar that she had given up on long ago. Louis was smirking. 

“Maybe a VCC tab?” he suggested. When she furrowed her brows with confusion, he elaborated. “Violet’s Current Conquests?” She felt her face heating again even as she rolled her eyes at him. 

“Goodbye, Louis,” she said, turning her back on him. He chuckled. 

“Hope she leaves you nimble enough for tomorrow night’s shift!”

****

Stepping outside, cool autumn air against her skin, Violet glanced around until she saw Clementine. She was leaning up casually against the brick façade of the restaurant, hands in the pockets of her jacket. Violet’s nerves fluttered in her gut as she took the few steps towards her. _Get it together,_ she thought.

And then Clementine met her eyes, and Violet’s entire body warmed under her gaze. She stopped next to her and had to remind herself to breathe. Clementine gave her a small smile.

“Hey,” she said. 

“Hey,” Violet replied, mouth dry suddenly. She shoved her hands in her pockets and glanced at her boots. When she raised her head again, Clementine was unabashedly looking her up and down.

“You changed,” she stated, finally meeting her eyes again. And she had. She had swapped her dress pants for tight black jeans, and while she hadn’t brought a casual shirt that day, she had her button-down untucked and collar open. 

“I also called us a Lyft,” Violet said. Clementine’s eyebrows raised at that.

“Where are we going?” she countered. Violet held her eyes, tapping into her confidence.

“We’re going to unwind,” she said. Clementine hummed and smiled lightly, averting her eyes. Violet thought she saw her cheeks color slightly. 

Their ride pulled up. Without even thinking, Violet opened the door for her enigmatic date. Clementine’s smile was wide, and she inclined her head in thanks. Shutting the door, Violet took a deep breath before walking around to the other side of the car, sliding in her seat next to Clementine. The prius hummed to life, and they were off. 

Violet’s clasped her hands and floundered for the right thing to say. She usually wouldn’t have any problem making conversation, but the brunette was definitely throwing her off her game. 

“I haven’t seen you in the restaurant before,” Violet began. Clementine shifted in her seat a little.

“It was my first time,” she said. “I’m in town for work,” she added.

“Let me guess. You’re a programmer and are here for an employee team building weekend?” Clementine affected surprise.

“Do I look like I work in tech?” she chuckled. Violet shrugged a shoulder.

“Takes all kinds,” she teased. 

Clementine scoffed, but she was smiling. “It’s a good thing you’re so cute,” she said. Violet was very thankful for the low lighting in the car – she could feel her ears turn red. “I’m a journalist,” Clementine finished. Violet’s embarrassment was forgotten.

“What’s the big story?” Clementine shook her head.

“If I told you that, why would you bother reading about it?” she countered. Violet grinned.

“Fair enough. What paper do you write for?”

“The New York Times,” Clementine responded. Violet’s eyebrows shot up. She was big time.

The driver was slowing to a stop, and Violet glanced outside and saw that they had reached their destination. 

“Here okay?” he asked them. Violet thanked the driver and left the car, and stood with Clementine on the sidewalk. 

“So… this is it?” Clementine asked dubiously. They were on a sparsely lit commercial block. A corner bodega glowed with neon, but several storefronts were boarded up for good. They were standing in front of a grimy door with a single bulb illuminating a tiny sign – one of those cheesy neon numbers with a blinking martini glass. 

“Yep,” Violet said confidently. She strode to the door and held it aside, encouraging Clementine inside. The brunette, to her credit, had an amused and curious expression on her face as she brushed by Violet into a hallway. It was barely illuminated, and Violet led her through a pair of heavy red velvet curtains.

The bar wasn’t quite at full capacity yet, considering how early it was, but it was busy. The space was artfully illuminated and very sleek. Leather booths lined both sides of the space, but the chief attraction was the horseshoe bar directly ahead of them. Marble topped with a backbar that was bursting with hundreds of bottles. Violet saw the look of surprise that flitted across Clementine’s face, and she swelled with confidence. She led the way to the bar, finding two seats and pulling out Clementine’s seat for her. 

As they settled in, the bartender appeared in front of them, sliding a cocktail napkin in front of each of them. His short brown hair swept across his forehead, the sleeves of his button down were rolled up to reveal wiry arms covered with tattoos. Violet knew that if you looked close enough, you could see swaths of burned skin underneath. 

Violet had met Mitch by being a frequent flyer at his bar, and they had become fast friends. The industry can do that. One of the many nights she found herself at his bar after hours, he had had entirely too many shots of mezcal and opened up about his childhood. Apparently, he liked to blow things up as a kid. His frequent experimentation gave him the permanent scars, and he tatted them up as a sort of homage to his youth. “I was one tough sonofabitch as a kid – and that’s not something I want to forget, you know?”

“What’s up, Vi,” Mitch said, with a quick glance in Clementine’s direction. “You work today?” he asked, eyeing her button-down shirt. She nodded.

“Sure did.” She turned to Clementine. “Clementine, Mitch – Mitch, Clementine.” Mitch nodded to her.

“Nice to meet you,” he said. Clementine smiled at him.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” she answered smoothly. 

“What can I make for you?” he asked. 

“I’ll take the usual,” Violet said, and then she turned to Clementine. “And she’ll have a Vesper,” she finished, never taking her eyes from Clementine’s. The brunette smiled slowly and settled back in her chair. Something about the way she was holding Violet’s eyes fired up that electricity again, and she felt a little lightheaded. 

She felt Mitch walk away to make their drinks, as she found that she was having a hard time pulling her gaze from Clementine.

“So,” Violet started. “You gonna give me any clues about your story?” Clementine hummed noncommittally.

“Let’s just say, I’m out here following the money trail,” she replied, angling her body towards Violet’s. Their knees were almost touching. If Violet shifted just a bit…

“Guess I’ll just have to read it,” Violet said.

“Guess you will,” Clementine fired back. Violet narrowed her eyes playfully. 

“You’re tenacious,” she asserted with a smile. Clementine chuckled and shifted slightly, so that her legs were on either side of Violet’s.

“Comes with the territory,” she said, with a light shrug. Violet was considering her next words when Mitch materialized, drinks in hand. 

“Vesper for the lady,” he said, subtly needling Violet. He dropped a Pikesville rye neat and a beer down in front of Violet. “And the usual.” Violet smiled up at him.

“Thanks, Mitch.” He eyed Clementine and then gave Violet a subtle wink as he turned to help the next guest. For all the brotherly teasing he liked to drop on Violet, she knew he always had her back when it came down to it. 

Clementine was playing with the stem of her glass; clearly, it was a habit of hers. She nodded to Violet’s drinks.

“At least I know you weren’t just pulling my chain earlier.” Then she raised her glass up. Violet picked up her rye, and they lightly tapped glasses together. She watched Clementine take a sip of her cocktail with interest. Her long lashes slipped shut over her eyes as she swallowed, and she hummed her pleasure, the sound of which fired a spark deep in Violet’s core and made her squirm slightly in her seat. “This is just perfect,” she said, smiling brightly to Violet. “You know what you’re doing,” she stated, leaning back in her chair.

Violet shrugged up a shoulder. 

“I take satisfaction in curating experiences with food and booze,” she said. 

“Are those the only experiences you enjoy curating?” Clementine asked, coyly. She moved her leg slightly, and now there was a light pressure against Violet’s. Warmth radiated from that slight contact straight to Violet’s core, settling between her legs. She grew bold, and moved her leg closer, her knee shifting over Clementine’s inner thigh. 

“Would you really like to find out?” she asked, her voice low. She watched color slowly creep up Clementine’s neck and dust her cheeks. Clementine looked down and bit her lip, then blew out a little breath. When she looked at Violet again, she had fire in her eyes. Violet swallowed thickly. This girl had her wrapped around her little finger. 

“I thought I made that perfectly clear already,” she said, deliberately. Now it was Violet coloring with warmth. Her heart rate picked up its pace, but she affected a casual demeanor. She hummed in acknowledgement and took a long pull of her beer. Clementine smiled at her, taking another sip of her cocktail.

“Did you grow up in San Francisco?” she asked, changing gears. Violet leaned back but kept firm pressure on Clementine’s thigh. 

“I’m originally from West Virginia,” Violet said. Clementine raised her eyebrows.

“Long way from West Virginia,” she observed. Violet shrugged.

“That was kinda the point. I came out here for school and can’t imagine leaving. What about you?” she said, redirecting. “You grow up in New York?” Clementine inclined her head.

“No, Georgia, actually – so I definitely get wanting to get away,” she said with a laugh. “But really, I spend most of my time traveling for work. It gives me flexibility to visit family a few times a year.”

“You have a big family?” Violet queried.

“No, but we’re close.” And Clementine’s face lit up with another type of happiness. Clearly, unlike Violet, she had actual relationships with her family. “It’s just my dad and my little brother,” she finished, taking another sip of her drink. Violet ducked her head and stared into her glass of whiskey, mulling over her next words. She met her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said, simply. Clementine gave her a sad smile, seemed to consider her own words. 

“Thanks,” she said, softly. She chewed her lip and Violet could see her deliberately changing tacks.

“You and Mitch close?” Violet grinned. 

“We’ve gotten pretty tight. The industry is like that – the great equalizer. We come from totally different backgrounds and in any other situation, we wouldn’t so much as say hello. Being in hospitality, we have food and booze in common, and we run in the same circles,” she finished. Clementine fiddled with the stem of her glass, a thoughtful expression on her features.

“Reminds me of the military.” When Violet’s brows shot up in confusion, she elaborated. “Obviously, without the violence – hopefully,” she quipped. “All kinds of people join the military; for all sorts of reasons, from all kinds of backgrounds. But then you’re in the trenches together, and that breaks down those differences and creates life long bonds.” The comparison impressed Violet. Or, rather, that Clementine came to that comparison without ever having been hospitality industry. Actually, she very well could have been. She seemed to know quite a bit about it.

“You ever work in restaurants?” Violet asked. Clementine smiled and shook her head. 

“Nope. I’m just an aficionado,” she said. Clementine’s gaze wandered across Violet slowly, and one corner of her mouth pulled up in a smirk. Violet squirmed slightly under her gaze, flushing and thankful for the low lighting. Clementine brought the martini glass to her mouth and held Violet’s gaze; she slowly parted her lips; Violet saw a flash of the pink of her tongue and felt her heart flutter. 

Tilting the glass up slightly, her gaze magnetic, her throat working around the fiery liquid she swallowed – and Violet knew she was done for. 

She took a breath and leaned in close, as if she were imparting a secret in Clementine’s ear. She was very much in the brunette’s personal space, but their only contact was thigh against thigh. She thought she could detect a sharp intake of breath from Clementine. Wetting her lips with her tongue, she lowered her voice to a rumble.

“Let’s get out of here,” she suggested, her lips almost brushing Clementine’s ear. She heard a quick breath from Clementine, and she pulled back and watched as her eyes fluttered open. Violet was flushed all over, warmth aching deeply in her gut. Clementine blew out another slow breath and grinned, nodding an affirmation. 

Violet pushed back from her bar stool and stood, holding her palm out for Clementine. Her smile grew wider as she took her hand and lighted to her feet easily. A flash of concern on her face.

“We still need to pay,” she said, reaching into her jeans. 

“Don’t worry about it – I have a tab,” Violet assured, raising a hand in farewell to Mitch, who was currently on the other side of the bar, shaking two cocktails. He grinned and nodded his head in acknowledgement. 

Violet kept Clementine’s hand lightly in her own as she threaded them through the now crowded bar. Only when she pushed through the red velvet curtains did she let her hold on Clementine go, immediately missing the contact. 

Outside in the chill, they stood underneath the pale glow of the streetlights, and Violet felt her confidence falter as she looked Clementine over. God, she was stunning. Her tight jeans hugged her modest curves, inviting Violet’s wandering gaze. She idly imagined removing her clothes piece by piece… 

When she met Clementine’s eyes, she found that the brunette was openly smiling at her. Violet bit her lip and averted her eyes, embarrassed that she’d been caught staring. Clementine took a step close, and then another, compelling Violet to meet her eyes again.

She was so close that Violet could see her pulse leap at her throat; a rapid cadence that mimicked Violet’s own heart rate. She watched Clementine’s eyes darken and warmth spread through her entire body, now pounding with anticipation between her legs. Violet leaned forward and watched Clementine’s eyes flutter shut as she pressed their lips together. 

Something in Clementine’s throat hitched at the contact, and fire exploded in Violet’s chest at the small sound. She parted Clementine’s lips easily and swept their tongues together; the kiss deepening even as it only just begun. Clementine’s hands hooked around her neck, holding her close. Their breathing deepened, and Violet felt as if she were drowning. Her body was burning, and she was dizzy, already drunk from the way Clementine moved against her. 

She pulled Clementine in by the small of her back, their bodies flush against one another. The brunette turned her head and whined. Another flash of lust flared throughout Violet’s body, and she pressed her mouth against Clementine’s jaw, just below her ear, against her neck; anything to make more of those sounds tumble out of her mouth. Clementine’s hand slid into the back pocket of Violet’s jeans and pulled her hips into her own. Now it was Violet’s turn to gasp, as the applied friction against her pelvis sent sparks of pleasure throughout her body. Clementine pressed her lips back to hers, tongues dancing around the soft whines and groans coming from them both. 

Violet was losing herself, and she knew if she didn’t take the initiative, they would give passerby one hell of a show. Reluctantly, she pulled back, breaking the kiss. Clementine’s eyes fluttered open; her eyebrows were furrowed, and she looked so very desperate for Violet’s touch. They pulled rapid breaths as they regarded one another. Violet grinned. Clementine smiled back. 

“You live close by?” she breathed. Violet just took her hand in her own and led them down the street. She did indeed live close by.

****

The second Violet opened the door to her apartment, they came together with an urgency that would have shocked her. That is, if she had any facilities left available for considering anything other than the beautiful woman in her arms. 

She kicked the door closed and their lips pressed together fiercely even as Violet walked them backwards towards her bedroom. She was tugging off Clementine’s jacket, while the brunette was nimbly pulling at the buttons of her shirt. The back of Violet’s knees hit her bed, and she pulled Clementine down on top of her. 

Clementine shifted her leg between Violet’s and wasted no time pressing her entire length against her. Violet groaned deep in her chest, sliding one hand to the small of Clementine’s back and the other to her firm ass, pulling their hips together again. The whimper that escaped Clementine’s lips had Violet reeling, her ears rang, and she was seized with a certainly that she needed to elicit more of those sounds from Clementine.

Though slighter than Clementine, she easily flipped them over. Violet straddled her hips and ground down, the friction and pressure causing Clementine to throw her head back and gasp. Her mouth found the base of Clementine’s throat; encouraging whimpers vibrated against her lips. She snaked a hand under her Henley, palm spread against Clementine’s tensing abs, as her teeth and tongue worked over the sensitive skin of her neck. 

A hand grasped Violet’s blond hair, the other fisted the sheets at her side. Violet could spend hours exploring the delicate skin, and she nipped at prominent collar bones before finding a spot just below Clementine’s ear. The sound Clementine made when teeth grazed along her neck was somewhere between and grunt and a gasp, and tightened the ache between Violet’s thighs. 

Violet took a chance and nuzzled further behind her ear, latching on with her lips and teeth and sucking, hard. 

“Fuck,” Clementine hissed. She likes it a little rough. Violet hummed and deepened her pressure, Clementine’s hips rolling up against her. They had entirely too many clothes on for her liking, but Violet couldn’t tear herself away. Her hand glanced across skin and over the swell of Clementine’s breast, thumb flicking her nipple to attention through the material of her bra. 

Clementine was whining, breathing through her nose as her teeth bit into her lip. Violet stilled her rough treatment of her neck, brushing her lips against the inflamed skin and ghosting them against Clementine’s ear. 

“What do you want, Clementine?” she breathed. The desperate groan vibrating in Clementine’s throat told Violet everything she needed to know, but she was determined to give Clementine what she wanted. She was going to take control. 

Violet hummed lazily, inordinately pleased with herself that she could feign patience even as her body burned and ached. She let her teeth graze Clementine’s ear, eliciting a whimper, but no words. Yet. 

Clementine, instead, rubbed herself against Violet’s thigh. She slipped her hand away from Clementine’s stiff nipple and grasped her hip, holding her down. More whimpering from Clementine, and Violet was barely holding on to her resolve. 

“Please,” Clementine groaned. The fingers in her hair clenched tighter, sending daggers of pain shooting behind her eyes, but Violet didn’t let up; she kept her hand firm. The way Clementine’s body writhed and tensed under her had her head swimming. 

“Do you want me to fuck you?” she rasped, and Clementine whined, the sound needy and impatient. Violet’s teeth squeezed Clementine’s ear lobe lightly, eliciting a sharp gasp from her slowly unraveling lover. 

“God, yes,” Clementine moaned. “Please fuck me, Violet.” Violet groaned as heat burst in her stomach and ached in her cunt. If she stopped to think about the words about to escape her lips, she may have had second thoughts. Uncertainties may have been heightened enough to keep her quiet. But she wasn’t thinking about anything beyond bringing Clementine to the brink, and so far, she had reacted very favorably when Violet used her words.

“Are you going to be good for me, Clementine?” The brunette whined and arched into the bed. Violet was on fire; every one of her senses heightened and tuned to Clementine. Her shaky breath and trembling body were almost too much for Violet. But she’d make Clementine say it before anything more. “Hmm?” she teased, her tongue skimming Clementine’s neck again.

Hauling in quick pants of air, eyes squeezed shut and brows furrowed, Clementine was irresistibly disheveled. Violet knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out very much longer. 

“I’ll,” Clementine’s breath hitched; she licked her lips. “I’ll be good for you.” Her voice was barely a whisper and tone completely debauched. Violet’s face burned and a warm rush of wetness settled between her legs. Violet smiled against Clementine’s neck, gave the sensitive skin a kiss.

“I know you will,” she husked, and with that her hands slipped to the top of Clementine’s jeans, deftly unbuttoning her fly. She made quick work of sliding them down her toned thighs, admiring the way Clementine squirmed. She sat back on her knees and took in the glorious sight in front of her.

Clementine’s Henley was bunched up, exposing her tensing abs and caramel skin. Her shifting legs gave Violet a preview of just how wet her lover was; simple white panties were soaked through. Violet moved then; she settled herself between Clementine’s thighs and shoved her shirt up, lips and tongue sliding over her stomach. She was filled with urgency to taste every inch of her. The brunette brought her hands to the back of Violet’s head and held on. 

Violet’s hand slipped underneath Clementine’s bra. Her fingers danced across her taut nipple, and Clementine grunted her approval. Violet’s lips curved into a smile against the tight skin of her stomach, and she trailed her tongue and teeth along her body, nuzzling closer to her breasts. Clementine sat up and pulled her shirt and bra off with one motion. 

Violet was mesmerized as her breasts trembled with every stuttered breath. She pressed her lips to the underside of one, lightly grazing her teeth. She avoided her nipple and her mouth found its way higher; to the spot just below her collarbone and right above her breast. She gave the area a couple of broad swipes of her tongue before latching on with her lips and teeth and sucking. 

Clementine cried out and arched into her. Violet increased the pressure, knowing that she was coloring the skin beneath her mouth, basking in the ecstatic cries elicited from Clementine. She released her hold on the skin, lightly brushing her lips across, soothing. Shifting, Violet found another swath of skin and repeated her rough treatment. She sucked hard, biting the skin. 

The noises coming from the brunette’s throat were sinful. Violet’s cunt throbbed with desire; her body vibrating with electricity. She was sure she had never been this aroused in her life; toeing the line between pleasure and pain. 

She eased away from the bruised skin and swiped broad strokes of her tongue around Clementine’s nipple. The fist in her hair tightened. She just about growled, the sound muffled by the soft tissue of Clementine’s breast, and firmly pulled the hard nipple into her mouth. 

A sob wetly caught in Clementine’s throat inspired Violet to use her teeth while her nimble fingers sought her other nipple. A hard tweak earned her another cry and a roll of hips against her own, reminding her of her clothed state. Apparently, Clementine remembered also as her hands started pulling at her shirt. 

Violet broke contact and sat back on Clementine’s lap. She let her eyes roam across her body, admiring the bloom of color underneath her collar. Violet made quick work of her shirt and sports bra, tossing them to the side while she held the brunette’s gaze. She trailed her fingers along her sides, and Clementine shivered. 

“Fuck,” she whined. Violet lazily skimmed her fingers across her tensing stomach to the hem of her underwear. Clementine’s hips rolled underneath her, desperate. “If I’d have known you were such a tease…” she huffed. Violet’s smile grew wider, and then Clementine surprised her by suddenly sitting up.

Her arms curled around Violet’s back as she bent forward to pull her pert breast into her mouth. The shock of the warmth and wet pulled a sharp gasp from Violet’s lips, and Clementine held her close, using her teeth and tongue to continue her torment. The moans that tumbled from her lips would have been embarrassing if Violet wasn’t supremely distracted by the sharp shocks of pleasure shimmering through her body. 

She was firmly pressed into Clementine’s lap, and the brunette brought a hand to her other breast, raking her nails across her nipple before pinching hard. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Violet hissed, hearing Clementine’s reciprocal groan. She broke contact and Violet suddenly found herself held by smoldering amber. Her breath hitched as she stared at Clementine, watching her wet her lips.

“You like that, babe?” she husked, the words burning between Violet’s legs. Clementine scraped her blunt nails against her chest again, fingers catching across her nipple, making her shiver and moan. “Hmm?” Clementine cooed. 

Violet could not formulate coherent thoughts. The only thing she was aware of was the sparks of pleasure snapping through her body and the heavy, hot throb between her thighs. 

Before Clementine’s mouth found its way back to her chest, Violet was moving. She coaxed Clementine onto her back and pushed her fingers against the bruise on her chest, gasping at the sounds the pressure tore from the brunette’s throat. 

“Fuck, you are so hot,” Violet panted, as Clementine was fumbling with her belt. They quickly removed her pants, leaving her in black boxer briefs. She couldn’t help herself; she was filled with an urgency to mark Clementine again; her mouth pressed against her chest just at the swell of breast. She sucked hard, using her teeth and tongue, and Clementine sobbed her name, the sound completely wanton and desperate. While still applying pressure, Violet snaked her hand across stomach and hip and slipped her fingers into the waistband of Clementine’s underwear. The buzzing in her ears was cacophonic and the flush of her body burned. 

She pulled back and admired the purples and blacks decorating Clementine’s heaving chest. Clementine helped kick off her underwear, and Violet slotted herself between her legs. She braced herself up on her forearms and stared into Clementine’s dilated pupils. As Violet attempted to catch her breath, Clementine leaned up and kissed her.

Violet whimpered as the brunette forcefully parted her lips, her tongue pressing firmly against her own. As good as this felt, it wouldn’t do. Violet found it a valiant effort at diversion, as she was having a hard time coordinating her thoughts. But she broke the kiss, and when Clementine craned for her again, she put a steadying hand against her neck. Clementine’s eyes went wide and her breath caught in her throat. Violet wasn’t applying pressure; she was just holding Clementine still. 

“I thought you said you'd be good for me, Clementine,” she said, applying just a hint of force against her neck. “Is this what you call ‘good’?” she finished. The brunette shut her eyes and swallowed thickly. 

“I…”

“Yes?”

“I… I want to be good for you,” Clementine whimpered. A groan rumbled out of Violet’s chest and she leaned in, so close that their lips shivered against one another’s.

“I’m going to fuck you now, just how you wanted,” Violet whispered. To her delight, Clementine whined and writhed underneath her. “I’m gonna fuck you hard, and I’m not gonna stop until you’re begging me to,” she husked. Clementine groaned in response, her body a tightly coiled spring beneath her. Violet knew that she had her full attention, but she gave her neck a little squeeze for emphasis. “How does that sound, beautiful?” 

The whined ‘please’ that vibrated against Violet’s hand was her undoing. She kept her hand steady against Clementine’s throat as she slid her other hand down the length of her body, coming to rest on a firm thigh. She squeezed hard and received a little yelp and then her fingers trailed through the tight curls between her legs, damp with arousal. 

Violet’s heart pounded in her throat as she tugged and pulled the hair lightly, teasing Clementine’s body into rutting thin air. She tried to get her breathing under control as she slowly parted the wet folds underneath her fingertips.

A shaky moan stuttered from Clementine’s lips while Violet held her own breath. The slick, swollen flesh under her fingers warmed her entire body, sharp shocks of pleasure burning between her own legs. She licked her lips and leaned close to Clementine’s ear while two of her fingers travelled the length of her sex. She dipped the tip of her index finger inside of her briefly, then slowly circled her clit. Clementine was panting and groaning underneath Violet’s hand, which was still resting against her neck. Violet ran her tongue along the hard ridge of Clementine’s ear.

“That’s my good girl,” she whispered, and Clementine shivered. “Nice and wet for me.” And that’s when she slid two fingers inside of her. Clementine bucked hard against the bed, grunting from the abruptness of the movement. Violet held still when she was inside; the tight muscles tensed and squeezed around her fingers. She was reeling as she tried to align herself to the present, almost too far gone in the fog of her desire to go on. 

Fingers raked down Violet’s back, sharp stings of pain bringing Violet wholly back to the moment. Clementine’s brows were furrowed, her lips parted to allow her unsteady breath rush out of her lungs, her body slick with sweat and Violet moved. She began with a slow retreat, sliding until just the tips of her fingers were still inside, and then firmly thrusting back inside. Clementine gasped and threw her head back, giving Violet’s palm more surface to hold. 

Violet took the invitation, gently applying pressure to mirror the thrusting of her fingers. Clementine brought her hand to Violet’s, not trying to remove it, but not demanding any more pressure either; just holding on. 

“Fuck, Violet, _fuck._ ” The words were punched out of her lungs in time with her firm thrusts. “Harder,” she moaned, and Violet groaned in response and added more force to her next entry, pounding into her now. Clementine squeezed her hand. “Harder, _please_ ,” she pleaded. Her voice cracked as words escaped her, a steady tumble of whimpers and moans passing her lips. 

Violet released her grasp on her neck and hitched one of Clementine’s legs over her shoulder. Her palm braced on her opposite hip, effectively holding Clementine down and spreading her open. She began pounding for all she was worth, the slick sounds of her fingers breaching her again and again mingling with their gasps and cries. On exit, she curled her fingers up and put pressure against the sensitive wall of her cunt, which elicited a groan of pleasure from her lover.

“Oh fuck, right there, Violet, please don’t stop,” Clementine whimpered. Violet was whining continuously now, the ache in her own cunt painful now, and she had a split-second thought that she would come just from touching Clementine. She changed her deep thrusts into more shallow drags, putting continuous pressure on the ridged area underneath her fingertips. 

Everything about Clementine’s body hummed, her lips parted around a continuous series of “ohs” as they tripped out with every drag of Violet’s fingers. She brought her thumb up and added pressure around her clit, circling firmly. Clementine bucked hard against her hand, which compelled Violet to lean further into her hold on her hip, to keep her still. 

Clementine’s cries were loud, and Violet knew she was close. She wanted nothing more than to pitch her into her orgasm and used her voice to aid in that endeavor.

“Are you gonna come for me?” A drawn-out whine was her answer. Violet hummed. “Good girl,” she rasped, applying direct pressure against her clit. 

There was a moment of perfect stillness; Clementine’s body held tight by the curve of Violet’s fingers and the pad of her thumb, and then it was as if everything shattered. Her firm hold on Clementine’s hip was useless against her bowing body; shoulders indenting the mattress behind her as she was hurled into her climax. Her voice broke around her sob of elation as her entire body convulsed and contracted. Violet held on for everything she was worth, dragging her fingers against the twitching walls of her cunt over and over again, doing her best to extend her orgasm as her own cries mingled with Clementine’s. 

Sweat dripped down Violet’s brow as she shifted slightly to get a better hold of Clementine’s hip. Her fingers were relentless; withdrawing and shoving against the convulsion of muscle. Clementine’s hands raked against Violet’s hips, extracting a low growl from deep in her throat. Even while her body thrashed through the throes of her orgasm, Clementine’s hips rolled into Violet’s thrusts, encouraging her to keep her pace. 

“That’s it,” Violet rasped. Clementine whimpered and moaned. Her body clenched around Violet’s fingers, her breath puffed out in little pants. Violet buried her fingers and curled them, putting firm pressure against that ridged area again. Clementine bucked hard against her hand and arched into the bed as she was pitched right into her second orgasm. 

Violet’s ears were buzzing, and she was breathless, doing her best to keep a firm grip on Clementine’s leg and hip while drawing out her pleasure. Her lover was covered in a sheen of sweat, her twitching and tensing body glowing as she sobbed and gasped. Violet stilled her fingers and sought Clementine’s lips with her own. Their breath mingled as their tongues soothed their racing hearts. 

When they parted, Violet nuzzled her face against Clementine’s neck, feeling her hum vibrate against her cheek. She placed soft lips against the sensitive skin and then angled her mouth close to her ear.

“You up to keep going?” she murmured, slipping out of her dominant persona to check in. Clementine sighed and skimmed her fingers delicately across her ribs. A gentle roll of her hips asserted that yes, indeed, she was. 

“I never want to stop,” Clementine whispered into her ear. Violet shivered; the blaze in her gut smoldered. Firm fingers slipped underneath the waistband of her briefs and she was kicking free of her underwear as she straddled Clementine’s leg. They both groaned as her slick cunt pressed against her firm thigh. Clementine pulled at Violet’s ass, urging her to shift her body above her. “Let me taste you,” she panted and Violet shut her eyes and whined. 

Before she knew it, Violet shifted so that her knees were on either side of Clementine’s head, her body hovered just above eager lips. She couldn’t catch her breath, and just the sight of Clementine’s flushed face and smoldering eyes beneath her threatened to send her over the edge. The brunette was brushing her thighs and ass in an attempt to soothe her shuddering body. Cool air swept across her exposed folds and she groaned deep in her chest. 

Clementine’s hands become firm, pulling her down and against her face. The first stroke of her tongue against Violet’s heat sent a jolt of pleasure through her entire body. She braced herself with palms on the wall as Clementine moaned directly into her cunt. 

Every one of her senses flickered and cracked; she wasn’t in command of her body anymore. Her hips began to move of their own accord while Clementine’s lips and tongue pulled deep, hoarse sounds from her throat. Her thighs trembled against the onslaught of sensation. The vibration of Clementine’s groans coiled in her gut, pitching her closer to her release. 

Through the haze eclipsing her senses, she reached around and pulled one of Clementine’s hands off of her. She directed it down between the brunette’s legs, her intention obvious, as another moan rumbled into her cunt. Knowing Clementine was getting off while eating her out sent another burst of pleasure coursing through her body. 

She sucked in a harsh breath when Clementine’s tongue nudged her clit. Gentle strokes were followed by harsh sucking, and a sob tore from Violet’s throat. Panting, mustering all of her will, she grit her teeth and spoke.

“Are you close?” A whine and squeeze on her hip answered her question. She strove to balance on the edge. “Good girl,” she panted.

All at once, Clementine tensed below her. Her keening whimper as she came resonated from Violet’s flesh through her blood and pounded behind her eyelids. The coil of tension in her gut broke, and she howled her release. Pleasure and heat pulsed through her body with every frantic beat of her heart. 

Both of Clementine’s hands pulled hard on her hips, smashing her against her face while continuing to tease out her orgasm. Violet couldn’t reign in the stuttering of her hips or her trembling muscles, and her forehead fell against the wall to steady herself. Gasps and curses tumbled out of her mouth as she hauled breath after breath into her burning lungs. 

Violet couldn’t hold herself up anymore. Clementine seemed to have realized that, and her grip on her hips became steadier as she shifted her and coaxed her down on her back. She lay draped over Violet, both of them panting while coming down from their respective highs. 

She had never had an orgasm as powerful of the one she just experienced. Her head was still reeling, and so when she turned her gaze to Clementine, the flame of arousal that ignited between her legs was completely unexpected.

The sight of Clementine’s dark features glowing, covered in her come, tore a whine from her ragged lungs. The brunette’s eyes widened, but then her lips parted and she quickly closed the distance between them. Slick on her face smeared against Violet’s, and she groaned deep in her chest at the first taste of herself on Clementine’s lips. She deepened the kiss, swallowing Clementine’s whimpers as desire once again flushed her body. 

When they parted, they were both panting again. Clementine’s expression was one of amazement, her smile radiant.

“Who the fuck are you?” she laughed. Violet chuckled and grinned, feeling both drunk and exuberant. She gave Clementine a sweet kiss, lingering against her lips for a moment. 

“I was just going to ask you the same thing,” Violet said. She wrapped her arms around Clementine and pulled her close, nuzzling against her neck. The sight of the darkened patch of skin just behind her neck sent another flush of arousal to her gut. “Stay the night?” she breathed. Clementine hummed lightly, pressed her lips against her temple. 

“I thought you’d never ask.”


	2. The Tour

The Lyft had barely pulled to a stop when Violet dashed out, muttering a hasty 'thank you' as she shut the door. She straightened her tie as she raced through the employee entrance, down their 'trash hallway' (where the recycling, compost and trash bins were kept) and to the service station. She greeted several servers and support staff along the way and then ducked into the employee restroom. The flickering fluorescent light wasn't doing her any favors, and she quickly washed her face and did her best to tame the strands of ash blond hair with her fingers.

She felt hungover and giddy, and her body was sore in all the best ways. Clementine hadn't had work until this evening, which had meant they had the entire morning to neglect niceties like sleep and sustenance. Their one concession had been a half hour coffee break just around noon, but the sight of Clementine lounging, naked, sipping coffee on her couch had been just too much for Violet. As such, she was late to work.

Well. Not late; but only fifteen minutes early. Usually, she liked to get in an hour before her shift began, just to ease into work. She knew she was going to get a lot of slack from Louis either way. 

On her way to the bar, she swung by the café, in dire need of more coffee. She sighed with relief at the sight of Aasim; he was by far the most talented barista on staff. 

His thick eyebrows were furrowed with concentration as he executed a dazzling heart design in a latte. 

"Hey, Vi. Need a little pick me up?" he said, finishing the latte with a flourish and then meeting her gaze. His dark features immediately pulled into a frown. "Jesus, what happened to you? Did you pull an all-nighter?" 

Violet face grew hot but couldn't keep a foolish smile off her face.

"Uh, something like that," she said. He was already pulling her an espresso, and he handed it over and chuckled at her. 

"Uh-huh," he said. She rolled her eyes at him, knocked back the espresso and tapped on the counter.

"Can you keep 'em coming?" she asked. Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.

"I was going to insist," he deadpanned. 

"Thanks, Aasim," she said, turning on her heel and heading to the bar. It was almost full, the bustle of the pre-dinner crowd creating a buzz in the restaurant. Louis was stirring a cocktail and making idle conversation with the guests directly in front of him, but his eyes tracked her and she swore they were smiling at her.

She ducked behind the bar and greeted a regular and then began to double check their set up. Louis sidled up to her the first moment he got. 

"Well. By the looks of it, you either had a bout of insomnia, though I've never known you not to sleep like a rock, or our favorite citrus prevented you from sleep in a much more... entertaining fashion?" Her face flushed a deep crimson, and he clapped his hands together, laughing. "Oh ho! My dear Violet. I believe that is a full-body blush happening right now!" Violet scoffed.

"Shut up, Louis," she muttered, wishing she wasn't behind the bar so she could flip him off. He hooted with pleasure while she shot daggers at him with her eyes. 

The shift was a busy one. Violet insisted on being in the well that evening, letting Louis take on the majority of service for the bar guests. She could just focus on the puzzle of putting up drinks for the dining room and the four guests in her corner of the bar. When it was this busy, Violet would lose herself in the construction of drinks; it was almost meditative. Or, it would have been, if Louis didn't take every bit of downtime to tease her about her date.

"So, did she let you sleep at all?" he inquired while reaching for a bottle behind her. She shot him a dangerous look, and he gave her a toothy smile in return. Just then, Aasim stopped by with an espresso.

"Here you go, Vi," Aasim said.

"Ha!" Louis exclaimed while Violet rubbed at her temple with her fingers. 

She plucked a pilsner glass from the lowboy and walked over to the draft system.

"Vi... _are you limping?_ "

She rounded on him.

"Louis, I swear to God..." 

He chortled, much too amused by her discomfort, and began chatting up a couple of his guests. 

The shift went by quickly; it always does when it's busy. They only had two couples lingering at the bar; the dining room was bustling, but there were no more reservations on the books. Louis had gone about the business of breaking down his well, and Violet was busy polishing glasses and keeping an eye out for tickets.

"So, real talk. You going to see her again?" Louis asked, as he wiped down bottles.  
Violet smiled. "I think so," she said.

"But no plans?" he queried. She shrugged a shoulder.

"She said she'd text me," she said. 

"You said she works for the Times?"

"Yeah. She's got a couple of interviews this weekend, and I'm working tomorrow so... we'll see." He stopped what he was doing and cocked his head.

"But you want to, right?" 

"Fuck, yeah," she said, smiling. He snickered and continued wiping down bottles. Violet heard a ticket print up, and she set down her polishing rag and went about making the drinks. While shaking two cocktails, Louis sidled up next to her.

"Looks like you've got your wish," he said. Brows furrowed with confusion, Violet turned and caught her breath. 

Clementine was easing herself onto a bar stool, a small smile pulling at her lips. She wore that blue leather jacket again, but underneath she wore a white button-up shirt. The top two buttons were undone, inviting an unobstructed view of her prominent collar bones. Violet's entire body burned when she spotted the black and purple marks on her skin; the marks she left on Clementine out on display for the entire world to see. 

Violet barely got through the ticket. Every single hair on her body stood on end and vibrated with static energy. Her hearing contracted to a rush in her ears as she placed finished drinks on the ticket and turned to Clementine. 

Louis was chatting her up, and she laughed at something he said, but her gaze kept darting over to Violet. It was as if everything was in slow motion, and she took a deep breath and was moving without ever having decided to do so.

Clementine turned, and liquid gold was all Violet could see. She caught her breath, held those eyes, and channeled some of her confidence from the previous night. 

"Thought you were working tonight," she said, as she picked up a glass to polish. Clementine smiled wide and leaned back in the chair.

"Finished early. Felt like a drink," she said. Violet smiled and hummed. 

"Well, luckily I have just the thing in mind," Violet began. 

"Actually, I know what I want," Clementine said, her eyes flashing. Violet's breath caught; a flush of heat settle between her thighs at the explicit intentions in those eyes. She struggled to keep her façade of nonchalance.

"Oh?"

Clementine nodded slowly, and then leaned forward on her elbows, giving Violet – and most certainly Louis – a perfect view of the discoloration just above her breasts. She forced herself to stop staring and met Clementine's gaze again. The brunette affected a confused expression.

"What was the name of that drink again?" she mused. Violet swallowed the lump in her throat. 

"A Vesper?" Clementine slapped her hand on the bar and leaned back in her seat.

"That's the one," she stated. Violet turned away and stepped into her well. As she set about measuring the ingredients, Louis fussed with the backbar behind her.

"You're an animal, Vi," he began. She hissed at him to be quiet, even while striving to control the trembling of her hands. He chuckled. "I mean, I'd hate to see the rest of her... actually, on second thought..." and he quickly dodged the slap Violet discreetly whipped towards him. 

She focused her attention on constructing the drink, stirring to proper dilution and pouring into the waiting martini glass. Her heart was pounding and butterflies were flitting around her stomach. _Am I giddy?_ Louis left the bar to restock their liquor, and Violet placed the finished cocktail in front of Clementine, all while affecting, what she hoped, appeared to be casual nonchalance. 

Clementine was eyeing her, a curious gleam flashing in her eyes. She leaned forward again, giving Violet another eyeful. 

"Any chance you'd like to grab a drink with me after your shift?" she inquired. Violet stepped closer, locking her eyes on hers. She made a deliberate point to shift her gaze to Clementine's chest before meeting her gaze again.

"I had something else in mind," she said. Clementine leaned back and smiled brightly, cocking her head.

"Oh?"

Violet hummed I response.

"You wear that to your interview?" she asked, lightly. The brunette's eyes flashed again.

"I did."

Violet inclined her head.

"Bold," she noted. Clementine smirked. 

"I unbuttoned when I walked in," she said. Her scarred fingers fiddled with the stem of her glass. "Figured you'd enjoy the reminder." And then she leaned closer. "I know I do," she murmured.

The heat that blazed in Violet's gut and settled between her legs told her that, yes, she was enjoying the reminder. She caught the whimper that threatened to escape her lips just in time and forced herself to breathe instead.

And then an idea occurred to her. Louis was back behind the bar, unloading a milk crate filled with liquor bottles. Violet leaned over the bar and lowered her voice. 

"Interested in a tour?" she asked. Clementine quirked an eyebrow and took another sip of her cocktail. She swallowed.

"Absolutely."

Violet turned to Louis, who was placing the last bottle of liquor on the backbar. _I'm never gonna hear the end of this_ , she thought.

"I'm gonna take my break before you take off," she said, bracing herself. His eyebrows shot up.

"Break? Vi, you never take your break," he said, with mock puzzlement. Violet was sorely tempted to smack that shit-eating grin right off his face. 

"Well, Clementine wanted a tour," she said.

"Oooohhhhh," he said, looking pointedly at Clementine. "Got it. Tour. Sure, Vi," he said, finishing with a wink. 

She was proud of herself; she managed to get through that without inflicting bodily harm. Violet ducked out from behind the bar and waited as Clementine slid out of her stool, flashing her a dazzling smile. She made a show of walking her down the hallway where they kept most of the wine cellar, all behind glass doors and temperature controlled.

"We keep all the really old vintages upstairs in our wine cellar, properly stored. Follow me," Violet said. She figured the pretense of a tour – one that happens nightly when a guest invariably gets curious about the wine – would be a good enough cover in order to walk Clementine through to the employee areas. Her face burned, and she turned and led the way. She weaved them around curious service staff and through the kitchen. 

Violet fished her keys out of her pocket and unlocked a door, holding it aside for the brunette. She could tell that Clementine's curiosity was piqued, and she shut the door behind them. 

They were in a storage hallway. Violet led them past dozens of boxes of bottled water to a fenced off area – the liquor cage. To the right was the wine cellar, but she had no intention of wasting anymore time. She unlocked the cage door and slid it to the side. 

Clementine walked in, peering around at all the bottles of alcohol. Violet had meticulously reorganized the cage when she was hired; all the booze was lined up alphabetically by category. It made ordering, restocking, and inventory a breeze. Clementine turned and met her gaze, eyebrows lifted. A little smile played at the corner of her lips.

Violet brushed by her towards the far end of the cage. There was a raised nook for more storage, the entrance of which was behind a metro rack stocked with liquor. Violet knew any casual passerby wouldn't be able to see them from outside the cage – probably.

She shed her suit jacket and was about to turn when arms wrapped around her stomach; the press of Clementine's body against her back sent a flush of arousal throbbing between her legs. Violet melted into the touch, tilted her head back and sighed. Clementine's face pressed against her, fitting perfectly in the space between her neck and shoulder. She covered Clementine's arms with her own and held on tight. 

The tickle of her breath against Violet's neck made her shiver. Clementine lightly captured the sensitive skin with her teeth. A jolt of electricity coursed through Violet's body and fired up all of her nerves at once. A harsh gasp escaped her, and Clementine's lips curved against her skin. Violet let out a shaky laugh.

"You're outta control," Violet said, reaching back and running her hands along Clementine's hips. The arms wrapped around her unfurled – one hand snaked up and pulled on her chest, the other slid down and settled on her hip. Violet's breathing became harsh and quick, and she heard a gentle chuckle behind her.

"I don't know... looks to me like I'm in complete control," Clementine said, her voice low and amused. Violet whined even as a smile pulled at her lips. A challenge. The hand on her chest slid against her breast, gently caressing her while fingers teased at her nipple, rock hard under her dress shirt and sports bra. She heard Clementine groan, and the whispered words that came out next, hot and sharp against her ear, ached between her thighs. "You're so fucking hot, Violet." 

Something inside of Violet contracted, and her breath left her. Her entire body hummed with urgency, and before she quite knew what she was doing, she turned and pushed Clementine up against the edge of the nook. 

Violet took a moment to look at her; Clementine's full lips were parted, her chest stuttering – the marks below her collar bone prominent against her skin. Violet was breathless, unable to formulate coherent thoughts; she simply watched as the brunette became more and more aroused under her gaze. 

When she finally moved, Violet got as close to her as possible without making contact, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from Clementine's body; could feel the sharp, fiery bursts of air that escaped her lips. She braced her arms on either side of her, hovered near, parted her lips. Clementine shuddered and closed her eyes, her brows knit together in concentration. Violet's heart caught in her throat as she bent her head close to Clementine's ear. 

"Are you gonna be a good girl, Clementine?" She slipped comfortably back into her dominant role. Her voice came out raspy and low, and Clementine's head fell back as she whined, the sound desperate. 

"I'll be good," she moaned. Violet's pulse hammered in her throat. She ghosted her lips along the ridge of Clementine's ear, feeling her shiver. 

"You're going to let me fuck you right here." Violet rasped. Clementine bit her lower lip, her chest heaving now and arms braced stiffly behind her. "Even though someone might see," she added, and watched as Clementine very consciously tried to collect herself. She licked her lips and opened her eyes. Her pupils were huge; her eyes pleading. 

"Please," she whispered. Violet stifled a groan and knew she was losing her fortitude. She regarded Clementine for a moment before leaning in close again. She spotted the bruise on her neck, just behind her ear. Violet gave it a long swipe with her tongue before latching on with her lips and roughly sucking.

The sob that burst from Clementine was raw, body writhing towards her. Blood rushed to Violet's face and the ache between her own legs throbbed hot and heavy, but she immediately pulled back, breaking all contact. Clementine surged towards her, and Violet stopped her with a hand on her throat. She held her gaze and shook her head.

"You're going to have to be quiet, beautiful," she crooned. "Think you can handle that?"

Clementine whined softly, but nodded. Violet hummed and unbuckled her belt. She made quick work of it, sliding Clementine's jeans down just far enough for her to slide her hand between her thighs. They both gasped as her tapered fingers slid along her soaked folks, the wet cotton hardly a barrier. 

A hand hooked around Violet's neck and Clementine threw her head back, biting back her moan of pleasure. Knowing that they had little time, Violet slid fingers underneath the hem of underwear and dragged them down her thighs. She ghosted her fingers along the exposed curls, damp with arousal. Her own breath caught in her throat as she abruptly slipped two fingers into Clementine's warm, wet cunt. 

The whine it wrought from Clementine's lips was muffled by her own fist; her features contorted with shock and need. Violet didn't hesitate, she began moving immediately – pulling her long fingers out almost completely before slamming back inside, fucking her with all the force she could muster. Muffled gasps punched out of Clementine's lungs with every thrust, and each one ached between Violet's thighs. 

Her pace didn't waver, even as she hooked an arm underneath Clementine and eased her up onto the ledge. The brunette propped herself up on an elbow while still biting down on her own hand, and Violet leaned over for more leverage. She was reeling from how Clementine felt wrapped around her fingers; the contraction of muscle and the blazing heat had her breathless. She was so wet that slick was covering her inner thighs. 

An animalistic need to fill Clementine compelled her to fuck her hard and deep until she was hurled roughly through her climax. On her next entry, Violet slid a third finger along with the others. Clementine easily took the increased girth, and the groan resonating deep from her chest asserted her approval. 

" _Fuck, yes_ ," she hissed as her hips began rocking into Violet's steady pace. "Harder, please." And Violet grunted and obliged, hard enough that her fingers tingled at the knuckles. Clementine's steady gasps and whines encouraged her to keep going. Violet watched as Clementine's shifted her hand from her mouth down between her legs, deft fingers circling her clit. Violet's body was on fire. She was lost to the tightness around her pumping fingers; the wet sounds of penetration; the way Clementine's face revealed her pleasure, her teeth firmly biting her lip. 

"You're gonna make me come so hard, babe," Clementine panted. "So fucking hard." And her voice caught and her body bucked and Violet clapped her hand across her mouth even as the brunette strained to muffle her noises. Violet groaned as the muscles around her fingers tightened and tensed, Clementine's bucking body and muffled cries blazing hot in her own body. Violet lazily curled and uncurled her fingers inside of her, easing her through her orgasm as her body continued to tense and twitch. 

She realized then that she was panting. Every part of her body tingled and with a start, she recognized the fading liquid heat soothing her tense muscles. The waves of release that spread through her body. She didn't know if it was the friction from the seam of her pants or if she just came spontaneously from pleasuring Clementine; all she knew was that she could not get enough of her. 

Clementine was now flat on her back, palms covering her eyes as she struggled to catch her breath. Violet eased her fingers from between her thighs regretfully and Clementine hissed at the loss. The brunette propped herself up on her elbows and held Violet's gaze. 

"You did so good, baby," Violet began, bending close to give her a sweet kiss. "Now it's time for your reward," she whispered. 

Clementine's eyebrows furrowed, but then Violet brought her slick fingers towards her lips, and her eyes darkened with arousal. She let a tiny moan escape her lips as she obediently opened her mouth. Violet eased her fingers past her lips and watched raptly as Clementine shut her eyes and sucked. Her warm, wet tongue circled and pressed against her fingers, and Violet's pulse throbbed between her legs. Heat rose in her face as Clementine held her gaze and pulled her fingers further into her mouth. 

Violet was spinning. She didn't even realize she was panting again until Clementine relinquished her fingers and smirked at her. Violet took a deep, shaky breath, and that's when she heard the door to the storage unit open. Her eyes widened, and she put a finger to her lips. 

She knew that from outside, only her back would be visible. She just hoped that whoever it was would continue with their task and -

"Hey, Vi? Is that you?" Aasim called out. She almost groaned. Clementine bit her lip, but was smiling widely. Violet closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and responded.

"Sure is," she said, and she pretended to rummage around for bottles. As she was still fully clothed, she peeked her head around the metro, hoping to God that Aasim couldn't see how red her face was. He stood at the cage door, espresso cup in hand.

"Here's your espresso - Louis told me you'd be up here. Want me to bring it inside - "

"All good! You can just leave it by the door," she said, voice steady despite the spike of panic. _Fucking Louis_. Aasim cocked his head and looked at her, then shrugged and placed the espresso on the floor. He turned to leave. "Oh, and, uh... thanks, Aasim." 

"No problem, Vi," he said over his shoulder. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Clementine snickered. Violet rounded on her, eyes wide. 

"Oh, you think that was funny, huh?" she said, amused by the brunette's giggling. Clementine, eyes twinkling with delight, beamed at her. She reached out and stroked Violet's cheek, lips unbearably close to her own.

"You're adorable when you're flustered," she murmured, before bringing their lips together. Her tongue expertly parted Violet's lips, swallowing her surprised gasp. The kiss was deep and full, and Violet's pulse quickened again as Clementine's tongue pressed and curled against her own. The brunette broke the kiss and pressed her lips along her sharp jawline. While Violet desperately wanted round two, she knew her break was most certainly over. 

"We have to go," she murmured. Clementine continued to trace kisses along her face, down her neck, teeth lightly grazing the skin and sending shivers through her body. Violet reluctantly pulled away with a chuckle. 

Clementine huffed dramatically but got to her feet and began putting her clothes on. Violet watched as she slid her wet panties into place, watched as her jeans hugged her firm thighs and heat swirled in her gut. Christ, she was insatiable around this girl.

Violet led the way out, knocking back the espresso and locking up the cage. She stopped briefly at the employee restroom to wash her hands and then led them through the kitchen and out. 

"I'm going to stop at the restroom," Clementine said, parting from Violet's side to head down a short hallway off the main dining room. Violet took a deep breath and continued on to the bar. 

Louis was polishing a glass lazily. All the guests at the bar had cleared out, and the dining room was thinning out as well. She glanced at her watch and found she was just in time down to the minute. 

She ducked behind the bar and Louis was openly grinning at her. 

"Sooooo, have a pleasant break?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows. She couldn't help it, she was smiling like an idiot. She picked up a rag and started polishing with him.

"Yup. I just showed Clementine around – she was interested in the wine cellars," she said innocently. He snorted.

"I'll bet." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, and thanks for sending Aasim to find me... that espresso hit the spot," she added. 

"Uh-huh... right..." Clementine came into view, looking perfectly put together. Violet smiled at her and warmth bloomed in her stomach at Clementine's reciprocal grin. She eased back into her seat, took a sip of her cocktail.

"Clementine - how was your tour?" Louis asked, a smile in his tone. Clementine put her glass down and held Violet's gaze for a minute. It was like she was swimming in liquid honey, and she knew immediately that she was a goner. _I'm totally whipped_. Clementine shifted her attention back to Louis and gave him a radiant smile.

"Oh, it was excellent – Violet was very thorough."


	3. Research and Development

The noise was deafening. Violet shifted in her seat as the airplane picked up momentum on the runway, the terminals speeding away and the tarmac becoming a blur. She peaked out of the tiny window eagerly – she always got a rush from take offs. Louis, on the other hand, was slouched down low in his seat with his eyes shut, his hands clamped on the armrests as if holding on for dear life.

There was a moment right before leaving the ground that Violet loved. It was a brief impression of weightlessness right before the air caught beneath the wings of the plane and pulled it from the earth. Her stomach flipped pleasantly as the plane rocketed into the air.

Eyeing Louis, she had a twinge of sympathy. He looked ill – all the color in his face drained and taken on an ashen hue. She reached out and placed a hand over his.

"The worst is over, Louis," she encouraged. "We're basically almost there." He snorted a cautious laugh.

"Yeah... yeah, sure, Vi..."

She patted his hand and turned her attention back to the window, watching as cars on the freeways become little pinpricks of color as they took on altitude. The plane leveled off, and Louis exhaled dramatically.

They were headed to New York, on a work-related trip. The restaurant was closed for renovations for two weeks, which gave them the rare opportunity of actually traveling together – it was practically impossible for them to get time off at the same time. The restaurant gave Violet a stipend for the trip, and they planned to hit all the hot spots in the city for a little research and development.

What got Violet's heart racing, though, was the fact that Clementine was just as excited to see her as she was.

The 'keep your seatbelts fastened' light dinged off, and an announcement informed them that beverage service would be beginning. Violet plucked the menu from the pouch in front of her.

"A drink will help," she said. Louis smirked.

"I think you owe me more than one, Vi," he grinned. Violet agreed wholeheartedly.

See, TSA had given her a hard time at security. She had studied the rules for carry-on items carefully and thought that she wouldn't have any problems bringing a few... accessories on the trip. She didn't count on the guy at security being a prude.

They had scanned her bag and held it back, running it through the x-ray machine a second time. After that, a TSA agent had held it aloft and inquired after the owner of the bag. She'd groaned but held her hand up.

As the agent donned gloves and began unpacking her bag, Violet's ears started burning. Did they really have to do this in front of everyone? Having located the suspicious items, he placed them on the table next to her bag. A strap-on, a not insignificant dildo, a soft pack, and a three-ounce bottle of lube. That's when Louis sidled up to her.

"You know what it's like, getting away with the Mrs.," Louis began, and that's when, through the thin latex of his glove, Violet spotted the wedding ring on the TSA agent's finger. "Just trying to rekindle that old spark," he finished, draping his arm around Violet's shoulders. "Isn't that right, babe?" Violet struggled to keep a neutral expression.

The TSA agent looked from Violet to Louis with growing horror, his face burning bright red. He mumbled something to them while gesturing for her to repack her bag. They giggled all the way to the plane.

"Yeah, consider it an open bar, Lou."

****

Violet had a pleasant buzz on as she stepped off the plane. Louis insisted on paying for a Lyft, although Violet would have preferred to take the subway. It was her first time in New York, and she was eager to see it all.

Their AIRBNB was in SOHO, relatively close to Clementine's place. They had reservations booked for most of their trip – tonight's cocktail adventure would begin at Dead Rabbit.

She turned on her phone and couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face.

CLEMENTINE: _Welcome to the big city, beautiful._

Warmth spread through Violet's core, a slight tingling anticipation coursing through her body. It had been five weeks since Clementine's visit to San Francisco, and while they had been in steady communication, her body fired up knowing that they would see each other soon.

****

The bar was lively. Violet and Louis checked in and were led to their table directly, a large u-shaped booth. Clementine and a friend were meeting them after work, and Violet couldn't help but fidget while she looked over the cocktail menu. Shifting slightly reminded her she was packing, the soft silicone adding pleasant pressure between her legs. Violet forgot how stimulating it could be to wear one – it had been years since she had engaged in any type of gender play.

Louis sat next to her, oblivious. She was grateful that he never crossed the line with her like some other men in her life. They would often consider her fair game as a lesbian. She'd had to endure things like a gaze lingering a little too long on her ass, 'innocent' little touches on her hips, sometimes blatant sexual suggestions. It made her furious. Any sexual banter between her and Louis was entirely consensual.

Anyway, one of those men might have detected the significant bulge between her legs. Thankfully, Louis was not that type of guy.

"Think they'd let us order one of everything?" he quipped. The cocktail menu was close to twenty pages long, but Violet understood the sentiment – everything looked amazing.

She snapped the list shut. "Let's have a game plan for tonight, otherwise I have a feeling that I might be hauling your wasted ass home early." Louis chuckled.

"What are you, ninety pounds, soaking wet? We'll see about who's dragging whom tonight," he said with satisfaction.

Violet snorted. "You know my tolerance is far superior. And for the record, I'm a hundred and fifteen."

"Sure, sure..."

"Since we have another reservation tonight, I say we get two cocktails at each bar – and maybe the rule will be that we all have to order something different. That way, we can taste more."

Louis nodded thoughtfully. "That's _actually_ a good idea."

"What's a good idea?"

Violet turned and her breath caught.

Clementine stood there, a light smile playing on her lips. If it were possible, she was even more striking than Violet remembered. She was wearing her hair down, the dark curls spilling just above her shoulders. Her signature leather jacket was zipped and hugged her modest curves most invitingly.

Before Violet could even utter a greeting, Clementine bent down and brought their lips together in a sweet, lingering kiss. She pulled back and grinned. "Hey," she murmured. Louis nudged Violet in the ribs.

"Might wanna say something, Vi?"

"Hey," she smiled while flipping off Louis. He chuckled. She scooted further in the booth to give Clementine and her friend some room.

They made introductions. Clementine's friend Molly came across as a little aloof, but Violet recognized a fellow introvert when she saw one. It's funny that, even after all the many years as a hospitality professional, she still considered herself an introvert.

Everyone was game for Violet's suggestion. Once they had placed their order with a courteous – but obviously harried – server, they settled into conversation. Violet didn't waste any time sliding over a bit and pressing her thigh against Clementine's. The brunette didn't overtly acknowledge the gesture, but Violet thought she saw a hint of a smile on her face.

"So, Molly – how do you know our fair Clementine?" Louis asked, planting his elbows onto the table. Molly eyed him with a caution that Violet approved of.

"We were roommates at Columbia."

Clementine smiled cheerfully. "Molly made that shit hole tolerable." Violet felt a twinge of curiosity at the smiles exchanged between her and the short-haired blond. Did Clementine have a type? The thought made Violet smile.

After an exceedingly long time – Violet was keeping track – their cocktails arrived. She liked to evaluate the quality of a bar based on two drinks. She would order a 'house' cocktail to assess the creativity of the establishment, and then she would order a classic cocktail to see how they execute. Violet started with a signature drink – an American whiskey based cocktail with Barolo chinato and dry vermouth called Tennessee Top Hat.

Louis held his cocktail – scotch based, with green chartreuse and orange bitters called Terminus – aloft. "To new friends," he declared, and they all clinked glasses.

They took sips of their own cocktail and then drinks were passed around. Clementine had ordered a gin based cocktail with calvados, crème de violette, lime juice and a house made Eucalyptus tincture called Look at the Flowers. Molly's drink was possibly the most intriguing to Violet – it was a Lillet Rosé low ABV cocktail called Cherokee Rose.

The conversation was easy, Louis filling in any potential gaps with questions for both Molly and Clementine. At some point, Clementine's hand made its way to Violet's inner thigh, sending shivers of warmth to her core. Her tight jeans pulled the soft pack firm against her, which became more and more noticeable as the minutes ticked by. Maybe wearing it on the first day had been a little ambitious. She was concerned she wouldn't be able to get through the night without accidentally getting herself off.

Clementine turned to Violet. "I'm going to run to the restroom – order me a Vesper if our server comes around?" Violet murmured an 'of course' as Molly slid out of the booth to let Clementine pass. She didn't hear what Louis and Molly were talking about; her brain was working furiously to come up with a plausible reason for her to excuse herself.

In the end, she simply nudged Louis.

"Scoot – order me a bourbon perfect Manhattan and Clementine's Vesper." Louis snorted but slid out of the booth.

"Molly, I don't believe you've seen our queen of subtlety in action before," he teased. Violet's face burned bright at Molly's bemused expression. She quickly threaded her way past busy servers and guests before pausing at the door to the women's room. Violet felt a quick flutter of nervous anticipation in her stomach as she pushed open the door.

The space was low lit with four stalls, two of which were occupied. She busied herself with washing her hands as one opened and a young woman – Violet would have definitely checked her ID – came out, eyes fixed on her cellphone. Violet raked her fingers through her hair, trying to get it to settle. The girl started talking on her phone animatedly, and that's when Clementine exited her stall.

Violet watched her in the mirror, saw her brown eyes widening. She walked casually to the sink, making a point of looking the blond up and down as she did. Violet warmed beneath the hungry gaze, taken aback by how immediately Clementine could turn her on. Their eyes met in the mirror, and the brunette held her gaze while she washed her hands.

Violet's pulse skipped in her throat and she struggled to breathe. As soon as Clementine dried her hands, she led her back into the stall and locked the door behind them. The brunette quickly took the lead, planting a palm against her sternum and pushing her against the wall. Before Violet knew what was happening, Clementine's mouth was on hers, her assertive tongue gliding along her own.

Soft, needy sounds coming from Clementine had Violet swooning; she was lost to the supple lips pressing against her own. She dragged her teeth against her bottom lip, tugging lightly, which tore a desperate whine from the brunette. Violet pulled her flush against her and made a show of grinding their hips together. The instant she did, Clementine gasped.

" _Fuck, Violet_ ," she panted. She ground her hips against the swell in Violet's jeans. "Christ, you're so fucking hot." Violet ached, her body alight with flames. Clementine's lips latched onto her neck, just below her jaw, as she groaned deep in her chest and rocked her hips firmly.

Firm fingers reaching under her shirt made Violet shiver. Dimly, she was aware of women coming and going, the flushing of water and the spray from the faucets, but her body moved as if with its own volition. She tried to be quiet – she really did. Her breath whistled through her nose and she bit her lip, undertaking to subdue the urgent sounds coming from her throat. When Clementine roughly scraped her nails across her breast, she couldn't hold in her sob.

Clementine abruptly drew back, and Violet was lost in her eyes. They were panting, faces flushed and skin tingling with anticipation. The pressure of Clementine's hips resting against her own made her throb.

A slow smile spread across Clementine's face. She reached between Violet's legs and firmly stroked the silicone cock through her jeans. Violet's eyes snapped shut, and she had to bite back the moan that threatened to tumble from her lips. When she opened her eyes, Clementine was grinning, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

 _Two can play that game_ , Violet thought. She licked her lips and leaned close to Clementine's ear.

"You like that, baby?" she murmured, and the brunette shivered. "Hmm?" She loved how quickly Clementine came undone with her words. Violet had discovered a few of Clementine's kinks with their frequent phone calls and texts, and dirty talk was one thing that consistently turned her on.

"If you're good," she continued, "I'll give you every inch of my cock." Clementine's eyes shut, and she moaned, definitely loud enough for everyone in the restroom to hear. Violet kept her tone low, barely speaking as her words ghosted across Clementine's ear. "Fill you up... stretch you wide... fuck you as hard as you want."

The brunette whined - a plaintive, desperate sound. Violet couldn't hold back her smile. She dragged her teeth across the sensitive skin behind her ear, that same spot she had marked on their very first night together. Instead of using her teeth, she swiped her tongue across the delicate skin, reveling as Clementine struggled to catch her breath. "Would you like that?" she all but purred.

Clementine nodded her head, moaned something that sounded like 'yes.'

"That's my good girl," she sighed, and then she pushed her back and away, severing all contact. Clementine's eyes widened, and Violet took in the sight of her – completely disheveled, flushed, panting – and knew that she was done. This girl had come into her life suddenly and completely, filled a space in her heart that she didn't know she had. _Fuck, is this love?_

Violet grinned and held out her palm. Clementine took her hand with a wry smile and together they left the stall. They ignored the curious – and in one case, scandalized – glances from the other women in the restroom while they straightened up. Violet could already hear the verbal harassment Louis would give them, but as she held the door open for Clementine, watching her tight ass sway in her jeans, she found she couldn't care less.

Their drinks were waiting for them when they got back, a detail that Louis did not neglect to comment on. Violet sighed and settled herself in for a long night of shit talk, Clementine's firm hand on her thigh a reminder that it was all worth it.

"Molly and I were placing bets on if two were coming back or not."

The blond chuckled as Clementine blushed fiercely. Violet found she couldn't hold back her smile.

"Yuck it up, Louis."

Molly leaned over. "I totally thought you two bounced," she said, and Clementine groaned.

"Not you, too, Molls," she protested while Louis and Molly laughed.

"C'mon, Clem. You know I can't pass up an opportunity to slut shame you," Molly said, as she evaded a playful slap from Clementine. Violet snorted a laugh and Clementine rounded on her with exaggerated incredulity.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" she asked, poking Violet in the ribs. She grinned and pinched the air in front of her.

"Maybe a little?" she said, and was not quick enough to avoid the slap.

"How are the drinks?" the server interrupted. As Louis began a monologue of compliments, Clementine cut over him.

"Can we order four shots of tequila, please?"

And that's when Violet knew it was going to be one hell of a night.

****

It was raining when they left the last bar of the evening and close to one in the morning – early for New York City. Violet had her fingers threaded with Clementine's and a mild tingling sensation radiated through her entire body. Molly and Louis stayed out, wishing the two girls a delightful evening amidst a flurry of suggestive facial expressions. They ducked into the awaiting taxi and sped off towards Clementine's apartment.

They had been teasing each other the entire night. Any opportunity she got, Clementine would brush her hand along the bulge in Violet's jeans, occasionally applying pressure firm enough to make her squirm, other times just cupping her possessively. It made Violet burn with arousal to think about it in terms like that, as if Clementine owned her body.

Violet, on the other hand, would lean over while Louis and Molly were bantering and murmur into Clementine's ear – explicit, detailed descriptions of what she would do with her that night. It gave her a thrill to see Clementine visibly attempt to even out her breathing, to see the flush of desire on her skin.

Clementine's hand found its way between her legs, the heel of her palm firmly kneading the bulge. Violet shut her eyes and bit back her moan as pleasure coiled tight in her core. Her breath came out sharp and short through her nose, and luckily the patter of rain and the swish of windshield wipers masked the sound. She practically jumped in her seat when she heard soft words being murmured in her ear.

"I'm going to be so good for you, baby – wrap my lips around your cock, let you fuck the back of my throat" - and Violet did whimper then - "let you fuck me however you want"- as she stroked between her legs – "I'm going to be so... good..." Abruptly, Clementine sat back in her seat and Violet snapped her eyes open. She knew what she looked like – panting, eyes furrowed and needy – but she couldn't bring herself to care. Clementine had a mildly smug expression on her face, taking in the mess that she made.

They slowed to a stop, and Clementine passed some cash to the driver. Violet shifted to ease the throb between her legs and then followed Clementine out and into the rain.

****

Clementine eased open the door of her apartment, flicking on an overhead light as she did. As soon as the door shut, she was in Violet's arms. The hours of teasing had brought her to a painful edge – her body was on fire and stretched taut and tight. Clementine's lips and tongue against her own made her sob, she was so overwrought with tension.

Clementine, apparently, felt the same way – she cried out the second Violet's lips found her throat. She knew that neither one of them would last long, not at this rate. So, she pulled away from the gasping brunette and stilled her hands with her own.

"Give me a sec," she said, stooping to grab her bag where she dumped it by the door. Clementine's chest was heaving and her cheeks were flushed, but she nodded. "Bathroom this way?" Violet asked, thumbing toward a hallway. Clementine nodded again, and Violet hurried to find the bathroom.

Once the door was closed, she took a deep breath, attempting to slow her racing heart. She reached into her bag and pulled out her strap-on and dildo. It took her just a moment to undress and tighten the buckles of the strap-on, and she had to bite back a moan as the heavy dildo was pulled tight against her. She had a little difficulty dragging her pants back up, but when she left the bathroom, the dildo was pulled against her thigh.

As she walked down the hallway, the pressure of the cock against her body almost put her over the edge. She was so distracted that when she got back to the living room, she almost gasped.

Clementine was lounging on her couch, clad only in her underwear. A simple black thin strapped cotton bra did nothing to obscure the stiff nipples underneath, and the boy short panties accentuated the natural curves of her hips. The effect was overwhelming, and if Violet thought she couldn't be more aroused, she was woefully mistaken. Her entire body ached from her cunt to her fingertips, and she was moving towards the stunning woman before she even realized it.

She saw Clementine's eyes widen somewhat as she spotted the length of dildo against her leg. Centering herself with another fortifying breath, Violet channeled her confidence and stood above the brunette.

Clementine sat up, her eyes level with Violet's crotch, her lips parted. "... fuck..." she groaned, running her hands up and down Violet's hips.

"Like what you see, beautiful?" And sitting there, barely able to steady her breathing, staring at Violet with wanton desire, Clementine _was_ the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen.

Violet knew just how much it turned her on to be dominated. They even exchanged safe words when Clementine told her she wanted to explore the rougher side of pleasure. Violet planned on following the brunette's lead, while also maintaining her authoritative demeanor. She unbuckled her belt slowly, attempting to quell her mounting arousal as Clementine shivered with anticipation. She dropped her hands to her sides, cocked her head.

"Well?" she said. Clementine met her gaze with furrowed eyebrows. "You gonna be good like you promised and take my cock down your throat?" The brunette moaned deep in her chest and unsteady hands reached Violet's fly. Her breath came out in rapid little pants, and Violet felt a spasm of apprehension. She reached out and brushed her cheek lightly, directing her gaze back.

"Hey," Violet said, softly. She searched Clementine's eyes and worried she saw genuine fear underneath her arousal. "Don't forget about your safe word, okay?" Clementine nuzzled against her palm and gave her a quick kiss and a smile.

"I won't. You make all of this feel so safe, but I'll let you know if I need to stop." Relief rushed in to replace Violet's worry, and she smiled and gave Clementine's cheek one last stroke of her thumb before withdrawing her hand.

Clementine held her gaze, unbuttoning the fly of her jeans and tugging the zipper down deliberately. She drew several sharp breaths as the brunette slowly traced her hand along her jeans, taking in the dildo's size. Violet groaned as the friction of the base pressed against her aching heat.

Clementine hooked her fingers into the waistband of her jeans and slowly lowered them down her narrow hips. Violet hadn't bothered to put her briefs back on, and she watched Clementine's eyes get wider the lower her jeans fell. The expression on the brunette's face when the cock was fully exposed was one of pure lust.

After one of their many phone sex dates, Clementine had remarked, somewhat casually, about how she was into girth more than length. Making a mental note, Violet had gone to Good Vibrations as soon as she could to acquire this dildo for the trip. By the look of lust on Clementine's face seemed like she made a good call.

The cock was purple, average in length at six inches, but its diameter was a hefty two-and-a-half inches. Violet herself wouldn't consider getting fucked by it, but the salesperson assured her that someone with an interest in girth would be _very_ interested.

Violet stepped out of her jeans and pulled off her shirt, which left her in a black tank top and the strap-on. Clementine's hands caressed her bared thighs, and she sought to maintain composure as the brunette's breathing became more erratic.

"It's so thick," she breathed. There was a swooping sensation in Violet's gut as Clementine brought her head close and wrapped her lips around the head of the cock. The sight of her trying to work her mouth around the thick silicone nearly did her in. Violet gasped, her chest heaved, and the throb between her legs burned to an excruciating degree.

Clementine moaned around the cock as she grasped the base with a fist and began bobbing her head steadily. She slowly took more of the length and seeing the cock disappear in her mouth made Violet sob out her pleasure. Her body was blazing, her ears ringing, and she was weak in the knees. She knew that she'd have to change things up, and soon.

The brunette backed away, letting the dildo slip from her lips while she began pumping with her fist. The abrupt pressure on her core proved to be too much for Violet. She cried out as her orgasm snapped through her body; her legs trembled while she struggled to catch her breath. Clementine hummed lazily and slowed her rhythm. Her free hand found Violet's ass and stroked soothingly.

She wrapped her lips around the cock again and made eye contact with Violet, slowly pulling the silicone in her mouth. Violet sobbed again when the dildo tapped the back of Clementine's throat, and the brunette kept it there and sucked, her cheeks hollowing out and a rumbled groan shivering along the dildo.

Violet's orgasm faded away, even as her body hummed with mounting arousal. The effect of Clementine 'milking' her cock was almost too much for her to stand.

She reached out and ran her fingers through the dark curls of her lover. "That's it," she rasped, "swallow it right down." And Clementine's whine – muffled and desperate – had Violet reeling.

Clementine released the cock with a wet pop and struggled to catch her breath. Violet stroked her cheek and hummed. "You did so good, baby," she cooed. "So good." Clementine moaned, swallowing thickly. Her breath came out shaky and quick, and Violet bent low and whispered, "You ready for me to fuck you?" Clementine's eyes shut, and she gasped.

Violet's palm found her cheek, her thumb stroking Clementine's lower lip as her breath fluttered past. She gulped again, and when she opened her eyes, Violet saw just how dilated her pupils were, the swirling hazel of her irises almost completely swallowed by black. Her brows were furrowed, and she licked her lips before speaking.

"I don't know. It's really thick..." Violet had to stifle her groan and instead hummed softly.

"Don't you worry about that, beautiful," she began. "I'll make it fit." The effect of her words was instant. Clementine's eyes snapped shut, and she sobbed, her body trembling as Violet helped her to her feet and walked them in the direction she assumed the bedroom to be, grabbing her bottle of lube on the way.

Clementine was stretched out naked before Violet could even process their transition. She got on her hands and knees above her, the cock between her legs hovering above Clementine's taut stomach. Their lips came together, and it was as if reality slipped away – Violet could think of nothing, her entire body was consumed by the soft, wet heat of Clementine's mouth and her whimpers of desire that resonated heavily between her legs.

Breaking the kiss, Violet sat back up on her knees and ran her hands along the firm muscles of Clementine's thighs, spreading her legs apart. Violet groaned at the sight; the trimmed thatch of hair was matted with dampness, the swollen folds and insides of her thighs were glistening with arousal.

Violet held her gaze as she used her free hand to trail light fingertips along her wet thighs. "God, I love how wet you get for me," she breathed. Clementine, panting, whispered a fervent 'yes' and Violet hummed.

She shifted onto her stomach, brought her lips to the area where her thigh meets pelvis. They both moaned as she ran her tongue along her slick skin. Violet was dizzy – she had only gone down on Clementine once before, but she could never forget how intoxicating her flavor was. She was rich and warm, tangy in a way that just tightened the knot in her gut.

Clementine was already rolling her hips, now desperate for Violet's mouth on her center. She obliged, nearly sobbing as wetness coated her face and she was swathed by her scent. Dimly, she heard Clementine cry out above her, but she was too enraptured by texture and taste to acknowledge it. The heaviness of the cock pressing against the mattress sent sharp shocks through her body as she lapped up as much fluid as possible.

Hands fisted in her hair and Clementine bucked her hips with surprising force. Violet pressed both of her palms flat against the brunette's hips, biceps flexing as she held her still. She dragged her tongue along the hot folds and lightly circled her clit. The sobs and gasps had an urgent edge to them, and Violet knew she was close. She pulled her swollen clit between her lips and sucked hard, in firm rhythmic pulses.

Clementine's cries rose in volume, her hands now grasping onto the sheets next to her as her body tensed and writhed. Without warning, Violet thrust two fingers inside of her, curling them to match the pace of her mouth, and Clementine was done. Her body arched and shook as she howled through her orgasm. Violet whimpered as she continued to suck on the hard clit between her lips. She could barely move her fingers any longer, so she just flexed her fingertips against the pulsing walls of her cunt.

Clementine was gasping and moaning. Her palm found Violet's cheek, and she knew the brunette was feeling her jaw work as she continued her exploration.

"Please," Clementine croaked, and Violet met her gaze across her trembling torso. "I need your cock inside me." Violet shuddered and her eyes slid shut. She gave Clementine's clit one last, light kiss, withdrew her fingers and sat back on her knees.

The brunette propped herself up on her elbows, chest rising and falling erratically while she watched Violet squeeze lube into her palm and lazily stroke the cock. Her own wetness slid down her thighs. The silicone slipped easily in her palm as she rubbed, and she gently rocked her hips, making a show of it for her rapt audience.

Violet directed the head of the cock against Clementine's opening, and it was indeed thick. The image of it stretching into Clementine was enough to make her tremble. She pushed forward, not yet penetrating, but just enough for the brunette to feel its size. Clementine's breath hitched and Violet studied her, saw her features twisted up with need and a hint of apprehension. She rubbed a trembling thigh lightly.

"I'm going to fuck you now"- she slid the head of the cock along her fluttering slit – "stretch you wide, fill you up." She didn't know how she was keeping her voice calm, knew nothing except how desperately she wanted to give Clementine everything she desired. Violet studied her face and softened her voice to a murmur. "Just relax, beautiful."

Her free hand pressed against her thigh, her thumb easing her open further, while her other hand directed the head of the cock against her slit. She watched Clementine's face as she firmly added pressure.

Clementine's gasps and whines increased in intensity, her eyes shut and brows furrowed. She panted out quick little curses. "Fuck... _fuck_... oh, shit, Violet, I... I don't-" and the head of the cock was suddenly inside; Clementine's voice broke around a sob and Violet whined, harsh and ragged.

Violet paused, her own body shaking, giving Clementine time to get used to the girth. As much as she talked big about the act, she knew this would take an adjustment if it was going to feel good. And she was very invested in it feeling good.

Her hand tenderly stroked Clementine's quivering thigh. "It's okay, baby, just relax."

Panting, Clementine said, "Fuck, it's big. I don't know if I can..."

"And that's okay. Just say the word," a gentle reminder about their safe words. And then she dropped her tone to a low rasp, knowing it drove Clementine crazy. "But I'm not gonna stop until you do. I'm gonna push all the way inside of you, it's going to be so much, but I know my girl can take it." As she hoped, Clementine's body arched and her hips rolled. She held onto the cock firmly and slowly rotated her hips, not yet moving forward.

Clementine's head jerked back. "Oh, fuck, oh, god, yes," she cried.

"Does that feel good, babe?" Clementine whimpered and nodded. Violet hummed in response, her body twitching with anticipation. She gently rocked the head of the cock back and forth – removing it almost entirely and then sliding back in. Clementine's moans were lighter, her body relaxed into the movement and rolled to meet Violet's shallow thrusts.

On the next entry, she pressed further, gasping as the cock slid in another inch with relative ease. Clementine bit her lip and moaned, her fists twisting in the sheets. Violet couldn't catch her breath; couldn't stop trembling. She was almost completely overwhelmed and couldn't imagine how it was for Clementine.

She paused, her entire body aflame and focused. Sweat from her brow dripped onto Clementine and she pulled the tank top off, flinging it aside. The brunette's eyes smoldered, and she reached out and raked her nails against chest, hard enough to scrap into the flesh. The coil in Violet's gut tightened painfully, and she cried out; it was like all of her synapsis were flickering on and off. Clementine reached out and tightened her fingers at the nape of her neck, pulling her down so that the brunette's lips were brushing her ear.

Hot, whispered words tumbled rapid fire against Violet's ear, making her shudder and twitch. "Please, Violet, fuck me hard and rough and make me scream your name, make me beg you to stop, fuck, I'll be good for you, I swear I'll be good for you, don't stop until you come inside me-" And something cracked inside of Violet, all her measured control wiped away with Clementine's urgent tone. Her straining and desperate voice filled Violet with an imperative to do exactly what she demanded; a need to fuck her hard, to make her feel it.

Her hips snapped forward and Clementine's back curved, her neck twisting back as she sobbed. Violet was panting as she latched her lips and teeth onto an exposed collar bone. Her hips were flush with Clementine's, cock buried inside of her – she could feel her cunt tightening around the thick silicone as the base twitched against her own heat.

Violet propped herself up on her hands, looked down at where their bodies joined and felt dizzy. Clementine brought her legs up and hooked them behind her back, incredibly opening herself more for her. That's when she moved.

She dragged the cock almost all the way out slowly while Clementine whimpered and moaned and suddenly slammed back inside with startling speed. The brunette grunted and swore, even as Violet was withdrawing again, only to smash back inside. There was less resistance as Clementine stretched and relaxed, and Violet settled into a consistent rhythm. When Clementine began rolling her hips into Violet's thrusts, she growled and pounded into her harder.

Their bodies were slippery with sweat, their cries mingling with the wet slap of their hips connecting over and over. The chords of Clementine's neck strained as she grunted and her breath heaved. The coil of tension in Violet's gut threatened to snap, but she was determined to bring Clementine there first.

She lowered her head and scraped her teeth against her neck, sucking hard just above her collar, jubilant when she heard Clementine's cry of delight. Her pace never faltered, and then one of the brunette's hands snaked between them, fingers deftly circling her own clit.

"That's right," Violet panted. Clementine whined and bucked against her, face twisted with concentration. Violet forced herself to speak, perceiving it would push her over the edge. "Does it feel good, baby? My cock stretching you out?"

"Fuck, yes. You feel so good, you're fucking me so good." Their words were lost to their steady gasps and moans. Violet was spinning, she was barely holding on. She reared back onto her knees and pulled Clementine's legs over her shoulders. Her fingers joined the brunette's, and the sight of the cock stretching her wide and pounding into her proved to be too much. Violet's climax was almost violent, her entire body shook, and she roared out her pleasure.

She kept up her pace through it all, despite being overstimulated to the point of pain. A few more hard thrusts and Clementine's clit twitched right before she was pitched into her orgasm. Her entire body tensed and jerked, and the sound she made came directly from her gut – it was visceral and raw, and her voice broke and shuddered while Violet gasped and burned.

She slowed her movements but didn't stop, even though her thighs were quivering, even as she couldn't catch her breath. Clementine was limp now, but twitching and moaning, and her hands pushed against Violet's thighs, her intentions clear. She didn't use her safe word, but she was done.

Violet stopped moving, still buried inside of her. She was high, delirious, as she watched Clementine's body shake with the aftershocks of her climax.

Swallowing thickly, Violet held Clementine's hips still as she slowly pulled out. When Clementine winced and groaned, her heart leapt and she stopped. But the brunette just shook her head. "S'okay," she slurred. Violet eased out completely and unstrapped the toy. She barely had enough energy to crawl up alongside Clementine, but when she did, the brunette curled along her length and draped her limbs across her body.

Violet wrapped her arms around Clementine, her body still tingling with overstimulation. They slowly caught their breath, and Violet pulled the sheets up over their cooling bodies.

After a few moments, Clementine shuddered in her arms. Her face was buried in her neck, and the muffled noises coming from her initially sounded like crying.

"Clem?" Violet questioned as she pulled back. Clementine was laughing, almost gasping for air.

"Holy fuck," she breathed through her laughter. Violet grinned, and when Clementine composed herself, her smile was the brightest thing Violet had ever seen. It warmed her heart, and she knew, then and there, that yes, this was definitely love.


	4. Just Breathe

**CLEMENTINE**

As Clementine pushed through the door to the newsroom, she forced herself to think of the tasks ahead and not the gorgeous blonde she left sleeping in her apartment.

She couldn't help the grin that spread across her lips or the light flush in her cheeks at the thought of the previous evening. Clementine felt like she was gliding, despite the tenderness in her body. Idly, she wondered if it was too late to take a sick day.

"Everett, boss wants to see you," Carly monotoned as she passed by with several files. Guess it's too late to call out, Clementine thought.

 _The New York Times_ newsroom was a loud, chaotic place – but there was a hidden grace to it that Clementine thrived in. She passed by several colleagues before she dropped her bag off at her desk, noting her neighbor's absence. There was a piping hot mug of coffee waiting for her on her desk.

 _Kenny, you're a lifesaver_ , she thought, as she grabbed the coffee and headed to the editor-in-chief's office.

Kenny was old school. He'd been working at the _Times_ for decades, his youth spent in a sort of 'wild west' era of journalism. The stories that man could tell. While Kenny never aspired to be anything more than a journalist, ('you gotta be in the trenches to keep your head straight') he didn't waste any opportunity to ruffle the feathers of their newest editor-in-chief.

Not that Jane was technically new anymore. She'd been the editor for the last five years, just before Clementine's time. Hearing Kenny tell it, you would think she'd been hired last month. Clementine would often find herself in the middle of some heated exchanges, and while both Kenny and Jane had their flaws, she counted herself fortunate she had them both as mentors.

Kenny taught her how to trust her instinct, while Jane could advise her in the finer details of interviewing. Ultimately, they both had distinctive styles and, at least for Kenny, that made Jane's entire method flawed. Clementine suspected the fact that Jane was fifteen years younger, and a woman didn't help – he _was_ from Florida, after all.

She rapped lightly on the door.

"Come on in," Jane called, and Clementine pushed the door open. "Close the door," her boss said, and the general bustle of the newsroom was muted. Clementine took a seat.

In another lifetime, Clementine would think Jane was attractive, if in a severe way. She kept her chestnut hair closely cropped, her hazel eyes were keen, and she had a quick wit. Jane was all business, however, so Clementine learned to keep their interactions succinct.

"I wanted to follow up on the Carter case – any new leads?" Jane asked.

Clementine shifted. "I have one more interview scheduled next Tuesday – it was the earliest my source could meet. General outline is done, so I can have copy on your desk by Wednesday."

Jane nodded. "Excellent - been dying to nail that bastard. And the St. John story?"

"I'll have that for you this afternoon," Clementine said.

Jane leaned on her elbows. "Fast work, Everett. Make sure it's tight – I want to get it in tomorrow's edition." Jane turned her attention to her laptop, fingers rapid fire on the keyboard. "Look forward to a couple of new projects. Might have to make another cross-country trip again," she said.

Clementine perked up at that. "Oh? Anything I would have heard about?"

"There's been a strike at Facebook – contracting staff looking to unionize. There've been some shady behind-the-scenes deals that undermined the cause. I'll need you to dig deeper." Clementine held back a grin. _Maybe I can take some vacation days while I'm out there_.

"That'll be all, Everett," Jane dismissed her.

As she was walking back to her desk, she spotted Kenny at his – he was lounging with his feet kicked up on the desk, rifling through a stack of papers. His salt and peppered horseshoe mustache and weathered skin made him seem older than his years, but his keen eyes were alight with youthful energy. He grinned when he saw her coming.

"How's dragon lady this mornin'?" he asked.

Clementine smiled but shook her head, settling down at her desk. Choosing to overlook the bait, she steered them into neutral territory. "Fine. How was your weekend? You took the family up to the lake, right?"

He perked up with a wide smile. "Sure did! It was fantastic. Katija relaxed at the cabin while Duck and I spent hours fishing. You know, I could just live on that boat, but the little woman keeps telling to keep dreamin'. A little piece of heaven, right there. How 'bout you?"

Clementine tried to fight back the grin as she fired up her laptop. "Oh, just caught up with some friends." Kenny dropped his feet and leaned over his desk, a twinkle in his eye.

"What's the lucky fella's name and do I need to have the talk with him?"

When Kenny found out that her step dad lived so far away, he had taken up a father-figure type protectiveness with her. To compound things, her last relationship ended badly - If you could call a four-month period of arguing and infrequent sex a relationship. Gabe was cute enough, and eager to please in bed, but in every important way, he was still a child.

When Kenny heard some things Gabe was doing – hanging around her apartment building, 'happening' to be in the same coffee shop as her, calling her at work, he'd had it. One day Gabe actually showed up at the office, waiting outside, trying to catch her on her way home. Kenny told him in no uncertain terms to stop harassing her or to watch his back - in much more colorful language, of course.

"Her name's Violet and she's quite the gentleman," and as the words passed her lips, an image of Violet between her legs - startling green eyes holding her gaze with lust - was enough to make her blush and send a shiver through her body. If Kenny noticed, he was tactful enough to let it slide. He was beaming at her.

"Glad to hear, Clem... but if she steps out of line, you know who to call."

Clementine grinned. "Thanks, Dad," she teased.

They settled into their respective stories. The tap of her fingers on her keyboard and the snap of Kenny's typewriter mingled with the general chaos of the newsroom. Clementine swore Kenny insisted on the using a typewriter because it irritated Jane so much.

Absorbed in her work, Clementine didn't realize it was close to noon until her phone chimed, alerting her to a text message. It was from Violet.

She bit her lip when she saw it was a picture. Clementine dropped her phone in her lap and opened the text. When she did, her body burned and a familiar ache throbbed between her thighs.

The picture was taken from Violet's perspective, looking down. It was clear she was standing on the subway, and the angle was such that the flat planes of her stomach straightened into her compact hips, which highlighted the significant bulge between her legs.

Clementine's entire body flushed; her mouth went dry. She didn't think she'd ever experienced this level of attraction to anyone. Four dots indicated that Violet was typing out another text.

VIOLET: _What you do to me..._

Clementine's pulse elevated instantly. Christ, this is out of control, she thought. Before she could plan a response, Violet was already typing again.

VIOLET: _Let me take you out tonight._

CLEMENTINE: _There isn't anything else I'd rather do._

She smiled to herself and pocketed the phone, and when she glanced up, she saw the twinkle in Kenny's eyes and his bright smile.

"How long you known this girl?" he asked, and she blushed. Ducking her head to avert her eyes, she fiddled with her pen and smiled shyly.

"Ah, like, six weeks?"

Kenny just shook his head, a knowing expression on his face, and starting typing again.

****

As Clementine tied her hair back, one eye on her phone, anticipation fluttered in her stomach. Her thoughts strayed to the night ahead, and while she was curious what the blonde had lined up for the evening, she found it ultimately didn't really matter. The excitement smoldering in her core was for Violet, not for dinner.

The attraction she experienced with Violet shook her to the core. Clementine prided herself on her decisiveness, her ability to take control of a situation with critical thinking and her intuition.

When they met, there had been something so disarming about the blonde that compelled Clementine's confident words. The fact that Violet took her invitation and ran with it confirmed the feeling. It also gave Clementine the courage to tap into a part of her sexuality that she had never explored before.

She always topped. Didn't matter if she was dating a guy or a girl, she was the one in charge - it was just in her nature to take control of situations. The thrill she experienced while giving herself to Violet was overwhelming. It wasn't just Violet's dominant persona; it was the incisive care with which she wielded it. Clementine couldn't put the feeling into words, but it swelled inside of her and buoyed her confidence. It gave her the space to be vulnerable.

Tonight, however, she was planning on showing another side of herself to her talented lover. She was excited that she was able to explore her kinks with Violet and give the blonde space to do the same. Clementine remembered the halting way Violet had divulged her interest in edging – how the only person who she tried it with was her ex, and turns out her ex didn't have the patience for it (Clementine could think of a few very choice things to say about a person who passed up any opportunity to explore with Violet, but she kept them to herself). Tonight was going to be all about Violet.

Her phone vibrated and her heart leapt. She rolled her eyes at herself and grabbed the phone, and then frowned when she saw who it was from. 

GABRIEL: _Hey. We should talk. And I still have your keys_.

Clementine groaned. She did not want to be thinking about Gabe right now. 

CLEMENTINE: _There's nothing to talk about. You can just drop the keys off at work - the front desk will take them._

She huffed an impatient breath. Seconds later, another vibration alerted her to a text.

GABRIEL: _I prefer to give them back in person._

Rolling her eyes, she jabbed at the phone and fired off another text.

CLEMENTINE: _Fine. I can meet you next week. I'll text you details this weekend._

She slammed the phone down a little too forcefully and took a deep breath. When the phone vibrated again, she was ready to breathe fire. Clementine smiled when she saw who it was from.

VIOLET: _I'm outside. You ready, or should I come up?_

CLEMENTINE: _Be right down._

She gave herself the once over in her mirror. Violet had said 'business casual' tonight, and she had settled on a snug, off the shoulder sweater and tailored black pants. She eyed the new marks Violet left around her collar and smiled. Clementine had chosen this sweater to show them off – she knew how much the blonde enjoyed admiring her work.

Donning her leather jacket, she scooped up her phone and keys and headed down to meet her date, pushing all thoughts of Gabe from her mind. 

She didn't know what to expect from Violet's attire, but the moment she saw the blonde leaning up against the side of her building, her breath caught.

Violet was wearing a paisley button down. The wild pattern was toned down to monochrome blacks and whites. The shirt was further simplified by Violet's unbuttoned black vest and pants that hugged her legs. The effect was playful, while being appropriate for most occasions. Well, it would be, if Violet hadn't been packing.

Clementine's mouth ran dry the second she laid eyes on the strained material between Violet's thighs. It was subtle enough that it could be overlooked, but Clementine burned knowing that they would be eating an innocent dinner soon, and she would definitely be distracted.

She was already on fire, and when Violet's green eyes held her gaze, she felt a rush of warmth settle between her legs. Clementine was thankful that she hadn't invited the blonde upstairs – she was certain they never would have left the apartment.

A quirk of an eyebrow and a slight upturn of her lips expressed Violet's amusement. She pushed herself off the building and was suddenly inches away from Clementine. Her hand smoothed against her jaw and then her full lips were warming her own, the kiss soft and slow. When Violet deepened the kiss with her tongue pressing insistently against her own, Clementine nearly sobbed. Heat suffused her face and pooled in her belly, her body hyper sensitive to every sensation.

Violet broke the kiss, and they were both panting. Her hand lingered against Clementine's jaw, and she smoothed a thumb across her cheek. Violet's smile was radiant, and Clementine exhaled a shaky breath and returned it with one of her own.

"Good thing you didn't invite me up," Violet murmured, mirroring Clementine's earlier thought. When she leaned closer, lips ghosting by her ear, Clementine couldn't help but hold her breath. "You ready for our date, beautiful?" she breathed, sending a shiver down Clementine's spine.

 _This girl drives me absolutely fucking insane_ , she thought.

She sucked in a fortifying breath and nodded – she didn't trust herself to speak quite yet. Violet beamed at her, clasped their hands together, and lead them down the street.

They made light conversation as they walked the streets of the city. Over time, Clementine's pulse evened out, and she could think of something other than the ache between her legs.

Violet stopped them outside a bustling restaurant. "Here we are."

Clementine stared at the restaurant, shocked, briefly thinking that Violet must have made a mistake.

" _Babbo?_ " she said, and when Violet gave her an amused smile, she laughed. "I mean, New Yorkers can't get reservations here."

Violet's grin deepened, and she gave her a little shrug of her shoulder. "I pulled some strings," she said. Clementine followed her, shaking her head.

"Do I even want to know?" she asked.

Violet turned and gave her a wink. The maître-de greeted them warmly and led them to a table. The restaurant was packed, and while Clementine was taking it all in, a great booming voice sounded to her right.

"There she is!"

And suddenly Violet was embraced by an enormous man. His broad frame practically swallowed Violet whole, her lanky body pulled tight to his chest. Clementine knew he was a tall man, but Violet's average height accentuated it and he towered above them both. Dark features, a large robust beard and a very jovial laugh rounded out the picture. "Oh, I missed you so much." His chest muffled Violet's response.

Clementine couldn't keep the smile from her face. When the two finally parted, the man turned his attention to her and he beamed. He took her hand. "And you must be Clementine. Vi told me she was bringing someone special in," he finished, giving the back of her hand a quick kiss. Violet scratched the back of her neck, and Clementine grinned when she saw her cheeks blazing. How can she be such a boss in bed and so adorable?

They made introductions. Michael was the wine director and the general manager, so that answered Clementine's question about how Violet got them a reservation at one of the most renowned restaurants in the city. When he left them to settle into their seats, Clementine raised her eyebrows.

Violet chuckled. "What?"

"Someone special, huh?" Clementine couldn't help but tease. Violet's cheeks flushed, but she kept her gaze steady, holding Clementine's eyes with her own.

"There's no doubt about that," she said, and now it was Clementine's turn to get warm. She cleared her throat and gestured around them.

"This is pretty incredible, Vi. Thanks for bringing me here." She leaned back in her chair. "I'm surprised Louis didn't insist on being your date."

"He did give me shit for not inviting him, but he gives me shit for everything, so..." Violet smiled brightly, and leaned forward on her elbows. "Louis got himself a date tonight," she said. Clementine's surprise must have shown on her face, because Violet chuckled lightly and asked, "What?"

She speculated for a moment. "I guess I just see Louis as an asexual little brother, or something-"

Violet snorted a laugh, chuckling to herself. Clementine raised her eyebrows. "What's so funny?" she asked, amused by the blonde's reaction. Once Violet pulled herself together, she hooted once.

"So, you completely missed the part where Louis threw himself at you the first time you met?" she laughed. Clementine's eyes went wide, which got more snickering from Violet. "Oh, I cannot wait to see his face when I-"

"You wouldn't..." Clementine began.

Violet, still laughing, "How could I not?"

Clementine was about to go into why, exactly, she shouldn't harass Louis when Michael reappeared. He presented a bottle of sparkling wine to Violet, and while wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, she raised her eyebrows.

"I was pouring this out earlier for a guest, and thought you'd probably find it palatable," Michael said with a wink, pouring out the sparkling wine first to Clementine, and then Violet. Clementine was given a moment to read the label, and even she knew what an expensive bottle it was.

"Selosse? Shit, Michael. This is..." Violet floundered for words.

"Delicious?" Michael suggested with a smile.

Violet raised her glass in a toast, "Guess we'll find out."

Chuckling, Michael smoothly took his leave. Their server stopped by to welcome them and give them a quick tour of the beverage list, while informing them that Chef would like to cook for them. Violet looked surprised, and after checking in with Clementine, graciously accepted the offer.

Clementine was impressed. She knew Violet was exceptionally good at what she did, but this level of generosity was over-the-top.

She observed Violet's demeanor; it was both courteous and engaging. The whirlwind of the last six weeks caught up with her, and Clementine realized that an actual date was long overdue. While their chemistry was beyond compare, she found she knew little about Violet outside their bedroom banter. The more she observed her grace and humility when interacting with others in her profession, the more she wanted to know.

The evening was like a dream. Dishes were brought out and wine poured, and Clementine found that none of it compared to the being the focus of Violet's attention. How her eyes would crinkle when she laughed at one of Clementine's anecdotes; the way she bit her lip while searching for the right word; the timbre of her voice, raspy and delicate at the same time – all of it made her irresistible to Clementine.

When Violet reached across the table to rest her hand against her own, it almost felt as if Clementine's heart stopped in her chest.

Once dinner was finished, while sipping on some green chartreuse Michael had dropped off, Violet leaned forward on her forearms.

"Tell me something you haven't told anyone else," she said with a smile. Clementine, feeling pleasantly buzzed, hummed lightly while thinking. She recalled a memory and bit her lip.

"Alright. Promise not to laugh," Clementine said, raising an eyebrow. Violet leaned back with a grin.

"Scout's honor," she said.

Clementine sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe I'm telling you this," she began. Taking a deep breath, she went on. "When I was eight years old, my step dad took me to one of those farm petting zoo events. You ever been to a farm?" Violet shook her head, and she continued. "Well, there are these huge blocks of salt lying around for the horses, and..." She paused and bit her lip.

Violet leaned closer. "Come on, Clem. You can tell me," she encouraged.

Clementine ducked her head and muttered, "I may or may not have licked one."

Violet snorted, and Clementine's eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing. "Hey! What happened to 'scout's honor?"

Violet pursed her lips together and tried to hold back the giggles, her chest shaking with the effort. Clementine grinned and shook her head. "You're the worst," she said, laughing herself.

After Violet composed herself, she reached out and clasped her hand with Clementine's. "Sorry for laughing," she said, a glint of mischief in her eyes, "but you're so damn cute." Clementine warmed at the compliment, and when she met Violet's eyes, she lowered her voice.

"We should get out of here," she suggested.

Violet tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "Should we?"

Clementine leaned forward, and she caught Violet glancing at her bruised collar. "I have plans for us."

****

Somehow, they got back to Clementine's apartment, and at some point, they reached the bedroom. At the moment, they were both in varying states of undress, too distracted by each other to finish the job of shedding all their clothing. To Clementine, it felt like drowning. Every bit of her exposed skin was touched by slender fingers or full lips. Her aim to be the one in control tonight was quickly unravelling, the ache in her gut almost too much to bear.

When Violet's fingers unbuttoned her pants, Clementine grabbed her wrists. She used her body to press Violet up against the wall and pinned her wrists above her head. Wide-eyed, Violet tried to free her hands, but Clementine just flexed her biceps and held her still.

She took a moment to take in the feral glint in Violet's silver green eyes, then her gaze drifting to the blonde's exposed stomach, muscles straining under taut skin. Violet's nipples could be seen distinctly under her sports bra, her chest stuttering as she tried to catch her breath.

Clementine leaned close. Full lips quivered just inches away from her own, Violet's breath harsh against her skin. She slowly captured Violet's lower lip with her teeth, a groan erupting from the blonde's chest. Clementine smiled and deepened the kiss, her tongue pressing firmly against Violet's. The blonde whimpered and struggled to move her hands. Clementine smiled into the kiss and rocked her hips against the swell between Violet's legs.

The blonde was whining now, and Clementine kept her hips moving lazily, rotating and applying firm pressure. She kept at it until the sounds pouring out of Violet's throat were desperate. She broke the kiss, and when she caught sight of Violet's wanton expression, she shuddered.

Both of their chests were heaving. Violet shifted her hips and let out another whimper. Clementine leaned in close and dropped her tone.

"Tonight's all about you," she purred, and Violet's breath shuddered from her lungs. She released her hands, and they promptly began grappling with her pants. Clementine pushed them away firmly. "Did I say you could touch me?" she asked, and Violet whined. Clementine loved seeing her slender body shiver with arousal, and she placed firm hands on her hips, steering her to the bed.

She swiftly ripped off Violet's pants and bra, leaving her in boxer briefs. Clementine kept her own pants and bra on, and left Violet lying on the bed while she sought out the toys she wanted to use. Violet's harsh breathing cut through to her ears, making her shudder.

Smiling to herself when her fingers grazed across leather, she quickly found the items she desired and returned to the bed. She was delighted when she held the leather cuffs up for Violet to see and the blonde groaned.

Clementine settled herself on top of her, seizing her lips with her own, while she positioned Violet's hands together and began cuffing her wrists with the pliable leather. Violet was panting against her mouth, whimpering, and Clementine abruptly broke off the kiss. She pressed her lips against Violet's jaw, trailing along her neck, and hummed.

"Relax, baby," she whispered, "I've got you." The frantic pulse beneath her lips reminded her of the throbbing ache between her own legs. Quickly, she finished buckling the cuffs and pulled back to admire her work.

The sight of Violet made something inside her chest catch. Her pale skin glowed, pink creeping into her cheeks and onto her chest. The black leather hid her delicate wrists and forced them together in front of her in a sort of prayer; her fingers were twitching into little fists as she tried to calm down. The sharp lines of her face were contorted with need, pupils blown wide and alight with desperation. She was the most beautiful thing Clementine had ever seen.

She moved before even thinking, skimming her fingertips along Violet's ribs and hips. Violet huffed a breath.

"Clem... what are you-" Violet let out a sharp breath when Clementine pressed her lips against the slight concave of her abdomen. "-doing?"

Clementine hummed against her fluttering stomach and gave the skin a little nip. Raising up, pushed Violet's arms up over her head, exposing her pert breasts. She licked her lips and Violet's eyes clouded over with lust.

"I thought we'd see how long you can hold out without coming," she husked. Violet's hoarse gasp cracked and her chest was heaved. "Do you think you want to try?"

Panting, Violet could only nod her head. Clementine hummed again, keeping one hand on Violet's wrists and skating the other across her breast. "I'm gonna need to hear you say it, Vi," she said, firmly. Violet just about sobbed, her entire body was trembling.

"Y-yes," she moaned.

Clementine ran her nails across the Violet's sternum – lightly, with no force. Yet. "I need to know that you remember your safe word?" she crooned.

Violet nodded. "Yes."

Clementine held her gaze and lowered herself so that her lips were hovering over a taut nipple. "Good girl," she murmured, wrapping her lips around the firm flesh. Violet struggled against her restrained hands, but Clementine was strong, and she held them against the bed. Using her tongue and teeth, she lost herself to the sounds erupting from Violet's throat. Every raspy curse and shuddered breath made her redouble her efforts in pleasuring her.

Clementine found the curve of her breast as it was evening out to sternum, and she licked until Violet was shivering before latching on with her teeth and sucking. The cries tumbling from Violet's lips made her ears ring, and she moaned into the flesh and held on. Finally, she released the reddened flesh and already the skin bruised to a vivid purple before her eyes.

Violet was shaking, eyebrows furrowed and eyes shut tight. Clementine found another ivory swath of skin and repeated the treatment, resolved to claim every bit of the blonde's chest. From the hoarse sounds coming from Violet and the way she writhed and shifted beneath her, Clementine knew just how much she was enjoying it.

A shift of Violet's hips reminded her she still had the soft pack tucked between her legs, and a wicked smile spread across Clementine's lips. She released the tender skin and her hold on Violet's arms, shifting down so that she was lying down between her legs.

Violet immediately brought her hands down and grasped her hair with her twitching fingers. Clementine let her, for now. Her attention was now fixated on the shifting hips beneath her mouth.

One of her hands cupped the cock while she lowered her lips to the fabric of her shorts and breathed her in. Violet's musky scent fanned the flame between her own legs. The heel of her palm gently kneaded the cock, and Violet's hips stuttered.

" _Fuck_ ," she gasped. Clementine released her hold on the cock and swiftly pulled her underwear off. She tossed the silicone aside, her hands pressing against Violet's lithe thighs and spreading them apart.

Clementine groaned at the glorious sight before her. The skin along the inside of her thighs was shiny with arousal, the golden curls damp, slit twitching with anticipation. She didn't waste any time, and when her mouth and tongue pressed into Violet's hot core, she actually cried out against her.

Everything else disappeared as she slid her tongue along the swollen folds, collecting mouthfuls of fluid and savoring the tangy flavor. Her own breath was shallow and tight, and she had to remind herself not to make Violet come.

The blonde's legs were quivering, and when Clementine pressed her lips against her clit, Violet's body bucked off the bed, hard. She began sucking her clit in rhythmic beats, intensifying the pressure and duration each time.

When Violet's cries reached a frenzy and her body strained taut and tight, Clementine released her. Violet sobbed, a luster of sweat making her skin glow as her chest heaved and stuttered.

"No... fuck... so close," she whined. 

Clementine rested her cheek against a thigh, admiring how swollen and wet Violet's flesh was. Her slit twitched and contracted, hips shifting in a futile attempt at finding release. She hummed while Violet groaned, running a soothing palm along the planes of her stomach and jut of her hips.

After several moments, Violet's body relaxed a little, and slowly she caught her breath. Clementine tilted her head up and saw her lover's features twisted in concentration, eyes shut. 

"Violet," Clementine said, "Look at me."

Violet's eyes fluttered open, and she met her gaze, breath hitching as Clementine lowered her lips and gave her clit a light kiss. Violet gasped and her hips stuttered, breath coming out in fierce bursts.

Clementine trailed light fingers along her hips. "You're doing so good, baby," she said, voice low. Violet nodded and swallowed thickly. "I'm going to have to put my lips on you again, though." The keening whine that erupted from Violet made Clementine's pulse throb between her legs.

She affected a solemn tone, skimming her fingertips all along her thigh. "For what we're going to try next, I'm going to need your clit nice and swollen."

Violet arched, back bowing as a throaty grunt tore from her throat. Clementine took one look at her bruised breasts and lowered her lips to her clit. She pressed both palms against her hips, holding her down roughly while sucking at the throbbing flesh. Violet's fingers curled into her hair tightly, her entire body twisting against her.

It didn't take long for Clementine to be satisfied, and she backed away from the hot, pulsing flesh. Violet was sobbing, shuddering, her breath coming impossibly fast.

"Hey, hey, hey, Vi," Clementine said, smoothing her palms against her thighs. "Just breathe, baby. You're okay, just breathe," she intoned.

Violet swallowed thickly; her entire body was chorded tight with strain. Clementine continued to murmur soothing words and run soft hands along her trembling body. She couldn't believe the effect she had on her. Watching Violet unravel and lose control made Clementine's body burn.

Violet hauled in a couple of deep breaths. "Fuck... shit... I don't..." she licked her lips "I don't know if I... can do this," she whined. Clementine hummed and kissed the skin right above the tight curls between her legs.

"You can, and you will," she said. 

Violet groaned, the sound resonating deep in Clementine's core. She reached around and grabbed the small, purple vibrator. Violet's eyes widened and Clementine gave her another kiss on her stomach, before shifting onto her side.

She placed the vibrator on Violet's shivering abdomen while taking another moment to admire her. Her folds were bordering on an angry red tint, her engorged clit stood firm right below glistening curls. "I wish you could see yourself," she murmured, grazing her fingers along a taut thigh. "So fucking sexy."

The muscles beneath her fingertips jumped, and she turned her gaze back to the blonde's. "You ready, baby?" Clementine asked, picking up the vibrator. Violet groaned, taking in sharp little breaths, and nodded once.

Clementine cocked her head. "What's that? I didn't hear you."

Violet's head fell back again, and she huffed another deep breath.

"I'm... I'm ready," she managed. Clementine hummed and grazed the vibrator along the inside of a thigh, coating it in slick.

"That's right baby, you are," she murmured, holding the vibrator against the damp hair, just above her swollen clit. With a flick of her finger, she sent the vibrator buzzing to life. Violet let out a strained grunt.

"Shit... shit... _fuck_..." she panted. Her wrists strained against the cuffs and her hips shifted and rolled. Clementine was having a hard time catching her own breath, and she bit back a groan at the sight of Violet's face screwed up with pleasure.

The pitch of Violet's moans sent throbs of pleasure pooling in Clementine's gut, tightening between her legs. She dragged the vibrator lower, pushing it against Violet's slit rhythmically, causing the blonde to grunt and gasp.

When Violet's cries took on an edge of desperation and her body stilled as if bracing herself for climax, Clementine switched the vibrator off.

The sound Violet made every hair of her body prickle and took her breath away – it was a great heaving grunt that seemed to come from Violet's very core.

"No, no, no, no," she choked. "Oh, please, Clementine, _please_ make me come, please," she whimpered.

Clementine's skin was on fire and her breathing as harsh as Violet's. She swallowed the little flutter of sympathy, knowing that Violet would use her safe word if she needed to stop. Clementine reached out and tangled her fingers with Violet's.

"You're doing so good, baby," she crooned, and Violet whimpered. "You just have to hold out a little longer, think you can do that?" Violet grunted again and rolled her hips. She licked her plump lips and whined.

"...ye-yeah..." she breathed. Clementine hummed and twisted around, grabbing the last of the toys she wanted to use this evening. The dildo was smooth and slightly curved, about an inch in diameter and seven inches long. She knew by the shift in Violet's breathing that the sight of it made an impact. Clementine's tone, when she spoke, was low and seductive.

"We're going to try something new," she murmured. "You're going to have to tell me when you're getting close, but you're not allowed to come until I say so." Violet was panting, her fingers fluttering, and she swallowed again and nodded. "Use your words, Violet," she said, her voice stern.

The blonde whined and shook her head from side to side. Clementine waited patiently even as her entire body burned. She grazed her palms along her thighs and stomach, enjoying the tightening of muscle underneath her fingertips.

"I'm..." Violet gasped, "I won't come until you say."

Clementine smiled at her. "That's my good girl," she breathed. 

She placed the vibrator on top of Violet's engorged clit while prodding at her slit with the dildo. The blonde's gasps and moans barely registered for Clementine; she was transfixed by the sight before her. Slowly, she eased the dildo inside, biting back a moan. Once it was buried completely, she flicked on the vibrator.

Violet's hips bucked from the bed and her back arched. She howled and writhed, but Clementine kept the vibrator steady and began sliding the dildo in and out. Violet was shaking and gasping, her entire body strung tight. The sight of all her muscles flexing and contracting, her jaw clenching and eyes squeezed shut took Clementine's breath away.

"Fuck... fuck... _fuck_... shit, Clem... Clem! I'm close... ah... please..." Violet's words burst from her chest with every quick breath, and Clementine flicked off the vibrator and pulled it away. Violet's eyes shot open, her face contorted with need. "No! No, no, no..." Her body writhed, hips rolling off the bed.

Clementine shifted onto her knees and tenderly stroked a quivering thigh. She hummed lightly.

"You're so ready, aren't you, baby? So swollen and tense... I bet you really need to come, don't you?" Violet nodded wildly, swallowing thickly. Clementine, as slowly as she could manage, began sliding the dildo in and out of her cunt. Violet sighed and gasped, her hips rolling into the Clementine's even thrusts.

"If you want to come so bad, you know what to do." Violet's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and Clementine dropped her voice, low and husky. "Beg for it, Vi."

Violet eyes snapped shut, and she whimpered, her voice straining against the tight chords of her neck. Abruptly, Clementine slid the entire dildo out and that was when Violet sobbed.

"Please, let me come, _please_ , Clementine, I need it so fucking bad," she moaned.

Clementine hummed. "You close, baby?"

"So fucking close," Violet whispered. Clementine's heart was racing as she lowered herself onto her stomach. She held Violet's eyes with her own as she shifted the vibrator to her slit and lingered, her lips inches from her clit.

"Come for me, Vi," she moaned, turning on the vibrator and circling her clit with her mouth. Violet's body was strumming beneath her, her cries pitching over one another as Clementine sucked the engorged flesh in her mouth.

It wasn't long at all – a few seconds and Violet's entire body jerked. Her sobs were hoarse and heaving, and her body bucked violently beneath Clementine, desperately trying to pull away from overstimulation.

Clementine herself was gasping and could not catch her breath. Violet's face was contorted in what appeared to be agony, her body shook and her chest fluttered with every desperate inhale of breath. Clementine switched the vibrator off and quickly freed Violet of the leather cuffs.

Violet's body quaked and her chest heaved, her breath panting out alarmingly fast. Clementine gathered her up in her arms.

"Hey, Vi, just breathe, okay? Take some deep breaths. Shh, it's okay, I've got you, babe, it's okay." She continued to murmur soft words to Violet while she trembled and gasped. Clementine held on tight and the blonde finally pulled in some breaths. Her body was still tensed and she let out a shaky laugh.

"'m dizzy," she slurred.

Clementine smiled. "You're breathing too fast, baby, you need to slow down." Violet nodded absently and hauled in breath after breath. Clementine cradled Violet in her arms, murmuring gentle words and running soothing hands along her side. She admired the flush of pink on her skin, a sheen of luminous sweat, the marks she had left all over Violet's chest.

After a while, as Violet's breathing returned to normal, Clementine pressed their lips together in a soft kiss. Her gaze met Violet's tired eyes, and she felt her heart swell. "How you doing?" she asked.

Violet snorted a laugh, chuckling and shaking her head. "I don't know," she snickered. "I have no fucking idea."

Clementine smiled broadly and chuckled herself. She leaned in and gave Violet another kiss, this time pulling her lower lip gently. Violet's eyes snapped closed and she let out a breathy gasp. "Did it feel good, baby," Clementine murmured, voice low and husky. Violet gulped and nodded.

"Felt really fucking good," she mumbled. Clementine groaned and captured Violet's lips again, the kiss slow and sensual and when they separated, they were both breathless again. Clementine nuzzled Violet's collar.

"You ready for round two?"


	5. Closer

**VIOLET**

It was another busy night at the restaurant and Violet was looking forward to going home to a warm shower and cold beer. Luckily, she was first cut, and she was already busy putting together a pull list for restocking.

Their whirlwind trip to New York City seemed like a dream, one that Violet wanted to play out in her head over and over again. She often found herself thinking back to every arousing detail -

Louis pulled her from her reverie by clearing his throat. "Uh, Vi? Incoming."

Eyebrows furrowed, she turned and instantly wished she had already left for the night.

Approaching the bar, a coy smile on her lips, was Minerva. She was done up high femme tonight. Skin-tight jeans hugged her long, muscular legs like a second skin. A low-cut sleeveless blouse showed off her generous cleavage to anyone who gave her a passing glance. Her flaming red hair, cut a-line on one side and shaved down to fuzz on the other - contrasted ethereally with her pale skin and deep blue eyes. Violet hated to admit that the sight of her ex still made her heart race, and she suspected that was the point of this visit.

Minerva settled into a bar stool and cocked her head – a knowing smile on her lips. Violet blinked and shook herself internally. She grabbed a menu and dropped it down in front of Minerva.

"What's going on, Minnie?" she asked, casually.

Minerva hummed. "Not much. I was in the neighborhood"- _Liar_ , Violet thought – "and thought I'd see if you wanted to grab a drink after work?" she finished with a smile. She was practically batting her eyelashes, and Violet didn't even bother suppressing her sigh.

"I can't," Violet said. Minerva pursed her lips and nodded. Ducked her head as if she understood. _God, she is so fake._

"Sure, Vi. I get it. I was just hoping... that maybe... well, just pour me a fernet and I'll be on my way," she finished, meeting Violet's gaze again. Blue eyes that reminded Violet of the ocean held her own, and she felt a familiar tingling sensation in her gut. _Stop. She's just bored. Besides, you've got something way better going on._

Violet pulled herself away and poured a generous measure of fernet into a rocks glass. Minerva lifted it up in a salute and swallowed it in one go. Violet watched her stand up and start poking through her bag, and softened.

"Don't worry about it, Minnie," she said, waving away her money. Minerva's smile was bright, and she leaned forward on her elbows. The milky slopes of her breasts drew Violet's gaze – it wasn't even a thought. Minerva's voice snapped her back to the conversation and the redhead's eyes were smoldering with satisfaction. Violet felt heat rising into her cheeks and her mouth was dry.

"Well, if you change your mind, Vi, shoot me a text," Minerva said, blowing her a kiss. Violet watched her go, practically towering over every other guest in her spiked heels.

Louis sidled up to her. "I swear, Violet, the number of women that come in here just to flash you is outta control," he joked. "What'd she want?"

Violet ducked her head and picked up a glass to polish. "She wants to grab a drink."

"You're not going to, right?" he asked.

Violet snorted. "Hell, no. Even if I wasn't seeing someone, I wouldn't grab a drink with her."

Louis raised his eyebrows.

"Seeing someone, huh? So, you and Clem had the talk?"

Violet grimaced. "No?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "What're you waiting for, Vi? You have your head in the clouds _all the time_ and it's very apparent that she's just as into you."

She met his gaze. "You think?"

Louis gave her _the look_ , and she sighed. "Okay, okay," she said. "I'll talk to her." She held up her pull list. "You good if I grab some bottles?" she asked. He eyed the bar and grinned. There were only three people sitting at the bar at this point.

"I think I can handle it."

She snorted and smiled, then ducked out from behind the bar and headed to the stockroom.

The second she was off the dining room she quick dialed Clementine, a smile automatically stretching her lips. She took the stairs two at a time and let herself into the storage hallway while it rang.

"Hello?"

Violet stopped short. The voice on the other end was a man's voice. Confused, she stuttered out a few words.

"Uh, I'm looking for Clementine?" she said. She made a quick calculation – it was past one in the morning in New York City.

"She's in the shower," the voice said. "Want to leave a message?"

Violet's ears were ringing, and she swallowed thickly, mind racing.

"Um, no. No, that's okay. Thanks," she muttered, before ending the call. She stared at the phone and felt queasy. _Of course,_ she thought. Insecurities she thought she'd buried long ago exhumed themselves and jostled in her brain. Of course, Clementine was seeing someone else. Violet had dragged her feet and avoided having the talk with her because, deep down, she knew it was too good to be true. Minerva's presence earlier encouraged her dark thoughts. _Minnie left you, Clementine isn't that into you._

Violet shut her eyes and groaned, inwardly cursing herself. That guy's voice on the end of the line was proof that the connection she'd felt to Clementine was all made up. She had wanted it so badly that she'd projected her emotions onto the brunette, and now she had to face that unpleasant truth.

Violet crouched down and jammed the heels of her palms into her eyes, huffing a couple of deep breaths. Even though on some level she wasn't surprised, the proof still hurt like a son of a bitch.

Her chest was tight and she couldn't breathe. Images from her week in New York flitted across her mind. Clementine's musical laughter after Violet teased her. Her smoldering amber eyes wandering a path along her body. The tone of her voice when she finally told Violet to come -

She whined and shook her head. It wasn't real. It wasn't what she thought it was, what she hoped it was...

Violet took out her phone and fired off a quick text to Minerva before she could think better of it and then turned her phone off. She would get drunk tonight - didn't matter if Minerva showed up or not.

**CLEMENTINE**

The hot spray of the shower cascading down her shoulders was doing wonders for Clementine. It was almost one in the morning and it had been an extremely long day. She had traipsed all over the city meeting up with contacts and, after a late dinner with Molly, had only just gotten home. The only thing more appealing than sleep at the moment was a phone call with Violet, as she knew the blonde would be finished with work soon.

She hummed to herself and as she was lathering her skin, her thoughts wandered to the past week. She had it so bad for Violet. Whenever she had any downtime at all, her mind strayed to those crystal-clear green eyes; the way her lithe body writhing under her own; the sound of her voice, raspy and clear. It was almost too much for Clementine, and she had to struggle to keep focused. Kenny wouldn't stop giving her shit about it. _"You got stars in your eyes, Clem."_

As her fingers trailed along her ribs and down her belly, she had an inspiration that they were Violet's fingers. The shock of warmth that pooled in her gut encouraged her imagination to keep going, and she curled her fingers between her legs. She brought her other hand over the swell of a breast, lightly tweaking the nipple before grasping hard enough to make herself gasp.

The sensation of her hands running along her slick body and the warmth of the water rolling across her skin quickened her breath. She shut her eyes and imagined Violet there with her, a confident hand parting her legs and sliding her fingers along the dark, curly hair, her silver green eyes sparkling with lust.

She let out a breathy moan as she parted her slick folds with her fingers, running along the length of her heat. It amazed her that just the image of the blonde was enough to swell her body and make it ache. The pad of her finger caught her clit, and she gasped.

"Fuck," she murmured, circling her finger along the hard flesh. She thought about Violet's voice, and all the things she said to her _you did so good, baby, so good,_ she thought about those long, tapered fingers sliding inside of her and curling just right, she thought about the way Violet would moan into her cunt when she came, as if Clementine's pleasure was enough to get her off...

A noise in the apartment snapped her back to reality. She paused her ministrations and cocked an ear, and when she heard nothing else, she shrugged it off. Must have been the neighbors.

Clementine continued touching herself, getting closer to the edge by the second. Thoughts of Violet edged her along until her clit twitched beneath her fingers and she let out a long, shuddering gasp. She sighed and languidly ran her fingers along her folds until her quivering subsided and she was breathing normally. After she finished rinsing the suds away, she turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, grinning to herself. Yeah, she had it bad.

In the middle of toweling her hair, she heard another sound which sent the hairs on her neck standing on edge. That was definitely in her apartment. She paused and strained her ears, and heard someone walking around the living room.

Heart racing, she thought about going for her handgun, but it was down the hallway in her bedroom, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to get there. She quickly pulled on sweatpants and a long-sleeved top, her mind flitting over her options. Her phone was also in the living room.

That left her with only one option – confrontation. Luckily for her, the moment she got hired as an investigative journalist, Jane had signed her up for a twenty-week training course styled from FBI training at Quantico. It had been a grueling program, but at the end, Clementine was competent in the operation of firearms and hand to hand combat, among a host of other skills.

Easing open the door, she silently padded down the hallway. She spotted a man lounging on her couch and the second she saw that stupid maroon beanie all she could see was red.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Gabe," she said, stalking into the room. He jumped in his seat and got to his feet, holding his hands up.

"Wa-wait, Clem, don't be -"

"Seriously, _what the fuck?_ How'd you get in?"

Gabe reached into his pocket and held up a set of keys. "I, uh, I got them copied so..." She grabbed her phone, fury rising in her chest. "Clem, I just wanna talk, please hear me out -"

"This is insane. I'm calling the cops, Gabe, this is -" and the second she felt his hand on her shoulder, she didn't even think. Her body pivoted around and her knee jammed right into his crotch. The air whooshed out of his lungs and she shoved him to the ground, where he lay whimpering and clutching his groin.

Her breath was heavy, but not from exertion – just from raw anger. _How could I have been so fucking stupid?_ she raged at herself. Then another thought.

 _He was here the entire time I touched myself_. Her stomach churned and her skin crawled. He had violated her safe space, her _home,_ and she longed for another shower to scrub the unwelcome feeling away.

Dialing 911, she glared down at the man writhing at her feet, a hand propped on her hip.

"... Clem... wait..." he wheezed. When she got through to 911, she explained the situation and was assured that police officers would be dispatched to the scene.

The adrenaline was wearing off, and she was so exhausted suddenly. She sat down on the couch when she could monitor him and sighed.

He sat himself up, wincing and panting.

"Is it because of that girl? Violet?"

Her eyes went wide. "How do you know about Violet?" she asked, a nervous tightening of her stomach making her queasy.

He took a few deep breaths and cringed. "She called when you were in the shower and I... I looked through your texts-"

Clementine was up on her feet in an instant. "What did you say to her?" she cried.

He flinched. "Nothing! Nothing, I swear, I-"

Clementine groaned and turned away. "I can't believe this. I can't believe you went through my phone." She spun on her heels and pointed at him. "No, you know what? I _can_ believe it. You've lost your fucking mind, Gabe!"

"Please, Clem, just hear me out... we're good for each other! We're meant to be together," he said, voice cracking.

Clementine looked at him, and at once the fight went out of her and a wave of pity washed over her. He's deluded himself. Probably because his asshole father kept telling him he'd never amount to anything, he felt he needed to hold on to the relationship. She felt bad for him, and she hated that she felt bad for him. _Another manifestation of internalized misogyny – why should I feel bad for my stalker?_

"Gabriel," she sighed, sitting back on the couch, "this has to stop. I don't want to see you again, I never want to hear from you again. You need to move on," she said, with as much softness as she could muster. In the distance, police sirens were getting louder.

He started to cry. Right there on her living room floor, clutching his crotch, the man cried. While she wholeheartedly encouraged men to express their emotions, this made her sick. It was like he was still trying to manipulate the situation and her sympathies for him.

The police arrived and were the epitome of efficient. One cuffed him and read him his rights, the other approached her to take a statement. The officer she spoke with had a southern accent, sounding very close to the Georgia accent she grew up with. He had a sheriff's badge and introduced himself as Officer Grimes. She explained the situation to the sympathetic police officer. After they left, she stood in the middle of her living room, hollow and exhausted. It was just after two in the morning.

Clementine dropped onto her couch and sighed. _What a fucking day,_ she thought. She pulled Violet's number up and dialed. Clementine frowned when it went straight to voice mail.

_"You've reached Violet Adlon. I can't answer the phone right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."_

"Hey, Vi, it's Clem. You wouldn't believe the night I had. Call me when you get this."

Ending the call, her stomach tightened with unease and her mind was racing. She had no idea what Gabe said to Violet, but she knew it couldn't have been good.

**VIOLET**

Violet was finishing her second martini by the time Minerva showed up at the bar. She was dressed exactly the same, and as she pulled up a bar stool next to Violet, she beamed.

"Do I even want to know why you changed your mind?" Minerva asked. Violet caught the bartender's eye.

"Nope," Violet said. The bartender approached. "I'll have another martini and she'll have a Blood and Sand." The bartender began constructing the drinks and when Violet turned her attention to Minerva, the redhead was smirking.

"Still remember what I like," she said, raising an eyebrow. Violet snorted, took a mouthful of water.

"I _am_ a bartender," Violet said. Minerva turned her body so her long legs were just touching Violet's. She leaned her elbows onto the bar, and Violet was sure she caught the bartender eyeing her cleavage.

"Came by the restaurant last week and saw they were doing renovations. You go anywhere?"

Violet pushed away images of Clementine before she answered.

"Yeah, Lou and I went to New York City," Violet said.

Minerva hummed. "That must have been fun?" she offered. Violet shrugged noncommittally.

The bartender dropped off the drinks, and Minerva raised her glass in a toast.

"To old friends," she said, with a coy smile. Violet raised her glass and then drank a generous measure of her cocktail. She was getting a pleasant buzz, the previous revelations of the evening fading into a general uneasy haze.

Violet turned her attention to Minerva and took her in. She was very attractive, and she knew it. Minerva had a figure to match her confidence, and she could – and would – attract the attention of anyone she wanted. That's why it wasn't so surprising to Violet that she found her eyes wandering over her body, despite a nagging voice in her head telling her she shouldn't encourage her.

"Why'd you want to see me?" Violet asked. Minerva shrugged a shoulder, toyed with the glass in front of her. Her expression turned serious.

"I guess I didn't like how we left things," Minerva began.

Violet snorted. "What, me walking in on you and Brody?"

Minerva sighed. "I deserve that," she said, softly. There was a pause, filled only with the quiet sounds of patrons chatting and the rattle of cocktails being made. "Thing is, I can't stop thinking about you, Vi," Minerva said, frowning. "I guess you were the first person I really felt safe with, you know? Like, I could be myself and didn't have to worry about what you'd think, what anyone would think..." Her voice trailed off and the sincerity in her tone caught Violet off guard.

She took another sip of her cocktail and blinked. Violet knew she was being played – she could see every single move that Minerva was making, and part of her recoiled at the thought. Another part of her, the slightly buzzed, hurt part, wanted to believe what Minerva was telling her.

Violet shifted her legs away and fiddled with her martini glass.

"So," she said. "You already dump Brody, or what?" When Minerva didn't answer, she scoffed and shook her head. "You know, it's always the same with you. You want what you can't have and when you get it, you throw it away."

She downed her martini and reached for her wallet, counting out some cash. "I don't know why I texted you, this was a mistake."

Minerva's hand covered her own and drew her attention back to her. Violet's breath caught in the depths of those blue eyes, and, despite her best intentions, fire blazed under her skin. Minerva's expression was both vulnerable and sultry, and suddenly all of her animosity was wiped away with the promise she saw flashing in those eyes.

The lure of Minerva's body coupled with the several drinks she just downed made Violet reconsider.

Violet shut her eyes and swallowed. _This is a mistake, you're making a mistake._ Then, that voice on the phone _she's in the shower, want to leave a message?_ fired up all of her insecurities again and she felt so low. It was as if the last month and a half wasn't real, and she now doubted everything she'd felt and experienced. She sought to push away those memories even as she clung to them. _I was so fucking stupid._

Against the little voice of better judgement in her head, Violet turned and ordered a shot of fernet for Minerva and a whiskey for herself. If this was happening, she needed to be good and drunk.

****

The next few hours were a blur. Violet listened as Minerva gossiped about mutual friends, the redhead taking every opportunity to subtly – or not so subtly – touch her. Violet laughed at the ridiculous stories she told, and as the night wore on and as they consumed drinks, she felt like she was floating. It was a very welcome feeling, and when Minerva grabbed her hand and murmured, "Let's get outta here," in her ear, Violet didn't object.

They paid their bill – at least, Violet hoped they did – and burst out into the night, giggling like a couple of schoolgirls. Dimly, Violet thought she was going in the wrong direction of her apartment, and when she tugged on Minerva's arm and said so, the redhead giggled again.

"Don't worry, flower, I'll take care of you." Despite the haze of alcohol, Violet bristled at the nickname.

"You know I hate it when you call me that, Minnie," she mumbled. Minerva just clucked her tongue and led the way.

Stairs were ascended and doors were opened, and Violet found herself in a vaguely familiar setting, but definitely not her apartment. She blinked back her surprise, sobering a bit while she looked around.

"Hey, this isn't my place," she objected, and that's when Minerva stepped right up into Violet's personal space and ran her hands along her arms.

Violet looked up into those vast blue eyes and felt a rush of desire flare between her legs. Minerva was looking down at her hungrily, all pretenses cast aside, and Violet felt herself shiver under the gaze.

Moments later, Minerva's lips were pressing against her own and she couldn't stifle a gasp. She felt Minerva's lips curve into a smile before her tongue insistently sought entry to her mouth. Violet parted her lips with a groan, and Minerva pulled her flush against her body. Her hands were everywhere, and before Violet knew what was happening, the cool air was raising goosebumps all along the exposed skin of her stomach as her shirt was hurled away.

Minerva broke the kiss and pulled off Violet's sports bra. The look on her face was surprised interest.

"Looks like you found someone to mark you up the way I used to, huh, Vi?" she teased. Violet glanced down, seeing all the bruises and scratches Clementine left on her, and shivered.

_-Clementine's amber eyes smoldering, holding her gaze while her full lips latched onto her breast, the subtle pressure and suction turning harsh and rough, her scarred hands pressing against her collar, holding her down while she writhed under the sparks of pleasure and pain-_

Minerva's fingers tracing a discolored patch wrenched her back into the present. The redhead hummed and bent low, her lips brushing Violet's ear. "Let's see if we can add to your collection, shall we?" she breathed, and Violet's eyes snapped shut while she bit back a moan.

The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back in Minerva's bed, her arms pinned above her head. She struggled against the grip and heat flared through her body. Minerva grinned at her, mouth inches from her breast. Violet shut her eyes and dropped her head back, chest rising erratically.

Fingers grasped her chin and cheeks and her eyes shot open. Minerva tilted her face and held it still forcefully, her blue eyes flashing with lust.

"Look at me," she all but growled. Violet watched as she put her mouth on her chest, teeth first. A sharp sting of pain made her yelp and curse, but then Minerva's tongue was soothing over the inflamed skin while she moaned. Violet breath came out in little pants and she was so incredibly wet.

_-Full lips pressed against the shallow swell of her breast, lavishing the skin with soft strokes before lips and teeth pulled the flesh into her mouth and sucked, so hard Violet was close to pushing her away. Clementine released the skin, nuzzling it with her soft lips once again before her gaze met Violet's and liquid heat flooded her core and she was left gasping-_

Minerva released her grasp on her chin and found one of Violet's bruises with her finger, pushing hard against it.

"Fuck," she gasped, her body wrenching away from the contact. Minerva just hummed and tightened her legs around her hips, pinning her body down. She sat up and pulled off her shirt, leaving her in a lacy bra that barely covered her breasts.

Minerva lowered herself, pressing her ample breasts against Violet's pert ones. The combination of the satin lace bra and soft flesh against her nipples tightened the knot in Violet's gut. She raised up, burying her face in Minerva's cleavage, mouth and lips pressing against skin as the redhead sighed her contentment.

Violet reached behind and unclasped Minerva's bra, flinging off to the side and groaning at the sight before her. Her breasts were full, the creamy skin so inviting as she pulled soft flesh into her mouth. Minerva sighed and ran her hands through Violet's hair, holding her close as the blonde worked her mouth and lips along soft skin.

When Violet's tongue swiped at a dark nipple, she felt the flesh harden and Minerva's ragged breathing against her face. She pulled the nipple into her mouth, sucking and licking while the redhead threw her head back and moaned, long and deep. The fingers against Violet's scalp tugged, and she moved to the other breast, repeating her treatment with tongue and lips until Minerva was trembling.

Violet shifted underneath her and pushed Minerva onto her back, straddling her stomach as she leaned in for a kiss. It was rough, frenetic, Minerva's nails scraping along Violet's back until she winced and pulled away. They were both breathing hard, and Minerva smirked before grabbing Violet's ass and lifting her up and over. Her legs pinned the blonde down while her hands restrained her wrists.

"Good effort, Vi. But you know I'm going to fuck you, right?" Minerva murmured before she lowered her teeth to Violet's neck and grazed the delicate skin. Violet gasped at the sensation, straining hard against Minerva's grasp. The redhead hummed and bit down on Violet's collar, hard.

"Fuck," Violet cried, writhing underneath the taller woman. Minerva chuckled and raised herself up, held Violet's gaze.

"You be good for me while I fuck you senseless and maybe I'll let you eat my pussy," Minerva crooned. Violet groaned, the sound resonating deep in her chest, as another flash of desire blazed between her thighs. Minerva's hands reached for Violet's belt, fumbling with the buckle and unbuttoning her fly in seconds. She shimmied her jeans and boxer briefs off in one go, and now Violet was completely exposed.

Minerva sat on her knees between Violet's legs and bit her lip while she looked her over. Violet was flushed, her breathing shallow, as she watched Minerva's gaze wander her body. All at once, a finger dipped between her legs, and Violet gasped at the abrupt sensation.

Minerva hummed while she spread her swollen folds. "So wet already, flower. You really want me to fuck you, don't you?" Violet moaned and fisted her hands into the sheets beside her. Minerva slid one long finger inside of her and Violet threw her head back and gasped. "Tell me how much you want me to fuck you," Minerva said, languidly sliding her finger in and out.

Licking her lips, panting, Violet swallowed thickly and tried to formulate words.

"I... I want," she gasped.

Minerva buried her finger to the knuckle. "Say it," she coaxed.

_-Clementine's dark features bent so close to her heat, Violet could almost feel her tongue on her already. Her body was on fire and she was so close and all she wanted, all she needed, was to come. The brunette slid the dildo in and out of her so slowly, Violet could feel her body stretching to take its girth on each push, the friction almost enough to send her over the edge, but not quite. And then her voice, rich and husky with lust, warmed her entire body and made her head swim with desire. "If you want to come so bad, you know what to do. Beg for it, Vi"-_

Violet whined and arched off the bed, her blood tingling through every extremity. "I want it so bad," she gasped.

Minerva hummed again, an amused sound. She pulled her finger out entirely, and Violet whimpered at the loss. "Want what so bad?"

Violet huffed a breath and moaned, her hips rolling for Minerva's touch and finding nothing.

"I want you to fuck me," she gasped, somewhat ashamed of the desperation she heard in her own voice. "Please fuck me."

Minerva smoothed a palm across her shuddering stomach, bracing her forearm against the twitching muscles. Violet had a split-second impression that she was holding her down, and then Minerva's voice sent shivers down her spine.

"Open up, flower," she murmured. At once Violet felt an intense pressure against her opening. Minerva pressed three fingers together, twisting them as she slowly pushed inside of her. Violet's body jumped at the sensation but was held firmly in place by Minerva's powerful forearm across her midsection. The pressure and stretch of Minerva's fingers was almost too much for her. She clawed at the sheets beside her, whimpering and moaning incoherently as she struggled to accommodate the girth.

Minerva moaned, deep in her chest, and paused her entry. Violet gasped and twitched, her body stretched tight.

"Hmm, about halfway there, Vi," Minerva murmured. "Forgot how tight you are." Just as Violet's muscles were relaxing, she felt that pressure again, as Minerva twisted her wrist and shoved forward.

She cried out when Minerva pushed all the way inside, her body strained and taut. Minerva got on her knees, straddling one of her legs, and placed a palm in the center of her chest. Violet felt those long fingers curl inside of her, tugging at her sensitive wall, and she arched up against Minerva's palm.

"You ready, Vi?" Minerva panted. When she moved, it was so much – bordering on too much - for Violet to take. Her body was pushed to its limit as Minerva fucked her with her fingers; withdrawing until Violet was whimpering with desperation of being filled again and then pressing in with increasing roughness.

The knot in her gut was tightening, and Violet rolled her hips into every firm thrust. Her grunting cries sharpened with need, voice cracking around every cuss word she knew. Minerva's features were furrowed with concentration, her own moans smoothing over Violet's gasps as the blonde was brought closer to her climax.

Time seemed to slow as pleasure burst behind Violet's eyelids, her entire body arching taut and tight beneath Minerva as she pounded into her, the sounds of their labored breathing swirling around her senses. A brief image of amber eyes and low voice _come for me, Vi_ flashed in her memory and that was all it took.

When she came, it was with all the force of a storm. She howled out her pleasure as her body bucked and writhed, Minerva's firm grasp on her useless. Her body clamped around Minerva's fingers, and she heard the redhead's breathy voice waver around her swears. Violet's chest heaved while she attempted to haul air into her lungs, everything quivering and shaking as she rode out her release. Throughout it, thoughts of Clementine's murmured encouragement eased her along and helped her through her first grateful gulps of air.

Her body, spent, was sprawled out below Minerva. The redhead was panting just as furiously as Violet, and she looked a little surprised. Slowly, she eased her fingers out and away, Violet wincing and groaning at the loss. The emptiness that followed wasn't just because of the physical sensation. Her heart tightened in her chest and that man's voice _want to leave a message?_ reverberated in her skull. Loneliness creeped in like an old friend, using the intensity of her orgasm to deepen the ache of loss. Violet struggled to catch her breath and strove to push memories of Clementine at bay. Not for the first time that night, she thought, _this was a mistake._

Minerva curled up next to her, nuzzling her neck. "That was intense," she murmured, clearly pleased with herself. Violet shut her eyes and wished she was anywhere else right now. When she felt Minerva's clothed hips rock against her leg, she knew she wasn't leaving anytime soon.

With a deftness that surprised even her, Violet rolled and straddled Minerva, quickly pulling off her pants. She wanted to be done and out of there as soon as possible.

****

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, making her wince and tuck her head further into the pillow. At once, her headache asserted itself, and Violet groaned through the dull ache behind her eyes. Everything was hazy, and a moment of panic had her sitting bolt upright, frantically looking around the space.

She was home, in her own bed, alone. Her clothes were tossed aside carelessly, legs tangled in sheets. Breathing a sigh of relief, she dropped onto her back and immediately regretted it when her head thundered with pain. All at once, flashes of the previous evening came back to her, and she groaned again.

What had she been thinking? Sleeping with Minerva, no matter how lonely she was, was not something she planned on ever doing again. She sighed and got to her feet, padding into the kitchen to put the kettle on before heading to the bathroom.

Everything was sore. She swallowed some advil and brushed her teeth for what felt like ten minutes and couldn't get the taste of stale booze out of her mouth. Trudging back to her bedroom, she pulled on sweats and a tank top before grabbing her phone and heading back into the kitchen.

As she made her pour over coffee, she turned on her phone. Messages dinged, and she frowned when she saw a voice mail from Clementine, a text, and five messages from Louis. She opened those first and read them with increasing dread.

12:35AM

LOU: _Vi. Just finished work. Where you at?_

12:55AM

LOU: _I'm at Wild Hawk, you should come by._

9:04AM

LOU: _Hey Vi, you close?_

Violet realized with a groan that she missed their morning run together. It was already 11:35am.

10:45AM

LOU: _Vi, seriously, are you okay? Call me._

10:55AM

LOU: _Clem's been trying to reach you. Where are you?_

Her phone rang; it was Louis. Mind racing, she answered on the first ring. He didn't even give her a chance to speak.

"Oh, thank god. Are you okay? I've been trying to reach you all day," he said. She cringed.

"I'm sorry, Lou. I turned off my phone last night... I was just reading your messages."

"Shit," he breathed. "You scared the shit outta me, Vi. What happened last night?"

Violet sighed. She really didn't want to get into it.

"I, uh, got a few drinks with Minerva..."

"Tell me you didn't sleep with her." Violet grimaced but stayed silent. Louis groaned. "Christ, what happened? You seemed out of it when you left work last night."

She bit her lip and sighed. Her volatile emotions from the previous night seemed like a joke in the sobering light of morning.

"I, uh, called Clem last night, and some guy answered." Silence on the end of the line. "I..." she sighed again. "I just got caught up in my self-esteem shit. Thought getting drunk was my best option."

Louis' voice, when he spoke, was soft with concern. "Hey. I get it. Look, I don't know who that guy was or what it meant, but I know that Clementine's worried about you. She called me asking me if I knew where you were... and when I couldn't tell her, it scared me. Just, call her, okay?"

Violet's stomach churned, but she promised Louis she'd call her. They ended the call, and she looked at her voice mail with dread. Clementine's bright voice twisted something else in Violet's chest.

_"Hey, Vi, it's Clem. You wouldn't believe the night I had. Call me when you get this."_

She checked her texts and guilt pressed in on her lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

CLEMENTINE: _Hey, Vi. I don't know what Gabe said to you, but I can promise you I can explain everything. Call me. Xo._

Her nerves were already eating away at her. She took a gulp of the scalding coffee and sat down on her couch, staring at her phone. Part of her was relieved that everything would be explained, but another part of her – the brooding, self-depreciating part – was sure it would only hurt. Pushing aside the tendrils of fear snaking into her gut, she dialed Clementine's number.

"Vi," Clementine's voice breathed, relief evident.

"Hi," Violet replied, and cringed.

"I, um, I'm sorry for calling Louis, I just... I needed to talk to you." There was a pause, and Violet's insecurities roiled and churned as the seconds stretched on. "Listen, about last night, and Gabe..."

Momentary panic rose inside of her. "It's okay, Clem. I get it. You don't need to explain."

"I do." Clementine sighed. "God, I wish we could do this in person." Those words confirmed all of Violet's fears; Clementine was going to end things between them. "It's going to sound crazy, because it is. Gabriel and I dated for a few months, and it never worked. I broke up with him three months ago, and he's... he just fixated on me, I guess. Hanging around work, calling and texting all the time." Clementine paused, and Violet's fears turned into concern. _Did that guy mess with her?_

"Gabe and I met earlier this week so he could finally give me back my keys... but he made a copy." Dread tightened Violet's gut, and she had a hard time pulling in a full breath. All at once, her insecurities were forgotten. "He came into my apartment last night while I was in the shower." Panic clutched at Violet's heart.

"Clem-"

"I'm okay. He didn't try anything - just wanted to talk. I ended up calling the cops."

Violet shut her eyes and breathed deeply, relief flooding her senses.

"He told me you called when I was in the shower... I... I just didn't know what he said and wanted to make sure we're good."

Guilt rushed in to sweep away her relief, and Violet choked back her shame. Her head was throbbing and images of Minerva flashed through her mind, near translucent skin and flaming red hair filling her thoughts. _Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck._

Clementine's worried voice. " _Are_ we good?" she asked. Violet swallowed again.

"I..." she sighed and collected her thoughts. "I was kinda upset after I talked to him. Talked myself into a really low place." Violet cringed but continued. "I thought getting drunk was a great idea and texting my ex an even better one." Violet shut her eyes and bit the bullet. "I slept with her."

The silence between them was charged with tension. Violet found she was holding her breath, waiting for whatever judgement Clementine would give her.

"Do you... want to get back together with her?"

The question jolted Violet out of her self-depreciation and she scoffed. "No! Definitely not. I... I regretted it the minute I was in her bed."

Another loaded pause. "I can't pretend I'm happy about it," Clementine began, "mostly because it sounds like you slept with her out of a place of insecurity instead of interest. But I also don't own you. And, we've never really talked about what we're doing, so..." She let the statement drift, and Violet's heart fluttered in her chest.

"What _are_ we doing?" Violet said, softly.

Clementine hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know. I do know I can't stop thinking about you," she said, and Violet's heart soared. "I know that I've never been this attracted to anyone, ever. I... I want to know everything about you."

The tension drained from Violet, the elation she felt at Clementine's words making her feel giddy.

"Clem, I..." She racked her brain for an appropriate response. She shut her eye and took a deep breath and leapt. "I think I love you," she whispered.

She thought she heard a sharp intake of breath on the other line, and panic gripped her. _That was too fast, too much, shit, shit, shit –_

And then Clementine's voice, filled with happiness and surprise, swept away her insecurities.

"I think I love you, too."


End file.
